Brian Barton
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for overseeing the cleanup of toxic superfund sites and holding polluters financially responsible. The EPA also conducts and supervises cleanup efforts on land and in non-coast guard controlled waters for oil or hazardous chemical spills. It sets health-based standards, limiting contaminants in drinking water, and provides billions of dollars to communities to deliver safe drinking water and improve water quality. The EPA also steps in to measure the safety of drinking water sources threatened by oil and gas operations when states refuse to act. The EPA puts out an annual report called the Toxics Release Inventory, supporting the public’s Right to Know about water pollution. The EPA also reviews the safety of pesticides and herbicides sprayed on food crops and can limit or prohibit uses when it determines a chemical isn’t safe for human health or the environment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Clean-up of toxic superfund sites | The EPA holds polluters financially responsible for clean-up efforts on land and in non-coast guard controlled waters |
| Energy efficiency | The EPA maintains the ENERGY STAR® program, which helps consumers identify the most energy-efficient appliances and equipment |
| Drinking water standards | The EPA sets health-based standards, limiting contaminants in drinking water and providing billions of dollars to communities to deliver safe drinking water and improve water quality |
| Pollution prevention | The EPA can step in and measure the safety of drinking water sources threatened by oil and gas operations when states refuse to act |
| Product labelling | The EPA Safer Choice program allows consumers to select the chemically safest products available without sacrificing function or quality |
| WaterSense | Encourages efficiency in water use via high-efficiency toilets, faucets, and irrigation equipment |
| National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System | Regulates the discharge of pollutants into U.S. waters |
| Pollution reporting | The EPA puts out a report each year called the Toxics Release Inventory, supporting the public’s Right to Know about air and water pollution and contaminated land in communities around the nation |
| Chemical safety | The EPA reviews applications for new chemicals to ensure they are safe before they are allowed on the market |
What You'll Learn
- The EPA can hold polluters financially responsible for clean-up efforts
- The EPA can limit or prohibit the use of chemicals that are unsafe for human health or the environment
- The EPA can step in to measure the safety of drinking water sources threatened by oil and gas operations
- The EPA can assess and tighten limits on pollution in waterways at least once every five years
- The EPA can oversee the clean-up of toxic superfund sites
The EPA can hold polluters financially responsible for clean-up efforts
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can hold polluters financially responsible for clean-up efforts. The EPA oversees the clean-up of toxic superfund sites and conducts and supervises clean-up efforts on land and in non-coast guard controlled waters for oil or hazardous chemical spills. For example, the EPA has stepped in to clean up the Exxon Valdez, Kalamazoo, and Floreffe spills.
The EPA also sets health-based standards, limiting contaminants in drinking water. It provides billions of dollars to communities to deliver safe drinking water and improve water quality. The EPA can also measure the safety of drinking water sources threatened by oil and gas operations when states refuse to act.
The EPA puts out an annual report called the Toxics Release Inventory, supporting the public’s Right to Know about air and water pollution and contaminated land in communities around the nation. The EPA also reviews the safety of pesticides and herbicides sprayed on food crops, golf courses, and public rights-of-way. It can limit or prohibit uses when it determines a chemical isn’t safe for human health or the environment.
According to the federal Clean Water Act, the EPA must set limits on how much pollution industries can dump in waterways. The goal of the Act is to eliminate pollution discharges into U.S. waters. To that end, the law mandates that the EPA assess and, if needed, tighten limits at least once every five years.
Protecting Rivers and Lakes: Strategies to Combat Pollution
You may want to see also
The EPA can limit or prohibit the use of chemicals that are unsafe for human health or the environment
The EPA has a duty to limit pollution and keep waterways clean and safe. It does this by setting limits on how much pollution industries can dump in waterways. The EPA also oversees the cleanup of toxic superfund sites and holds polluters financially responsible.
The EPA also maintains the ENERGY STAR® program, which helps consumers identify the most energy-efficient appliances and equipment that can save them money and energy. The EPA sets health-based standards, limiting contaminants in drinking water. It provides billions of dollars to communities to deliver safe drinking water and improve water quality. The EPA can also step in and measure the safety of drinking water sources threatened by oil and gas operations when states refuse to act.
Preventing Soil, Water, and Air Pollution: Strategies for Sustainability
You may want to see also
The EPA can step in to measure the safety of drinking water sources threatened by oil and gas operations
The EPA also maintains the ENERGY STAR® program, which helps consumers identify the most energy-efficient appliances and equipment that can save them money and energy. It also sets health-based standards, limiting contaminants in drinking water. It provides billions of dollars to communities to deliver safe drinking water and improve water quality.
The EPA is also responsible for protecting human health and the environment with programs such as Safer Choice and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. The Safer Choice program is a product-labelling program that allows consumers to select the chemically safest products available without sacrificing function or quality. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System regulates the discharge of pollutants into U.S. waters.
The EPA also puts out a report each year called the Toxics Release Inventory, supporting the public’s Right to Know about air and water pollution and contaminated land in communities around the nation. The EPA reviews applications for new chemicals to ensure they are safe before they are allowed on the market. It also reviews the safety of pesticides and herbicides sprayed on food crops, golf courses, public rights-of-way, etc. It can limit or prohibit uses when it determines a chemical isn’t safe for human health or the environment.
Human Activities: Polluting Our Environment
You may want to see also
The EPA can assess and tighten limits on pollution in waterways at least once every five years
The EPA has a duty to limit pollution and keep waterways clean and safe. According to the federal Clean Water Act, the EPA must set limits on how much pollution industries can dump in waterways, with the goal of eliminating pollution discharges into US waters. The EPA is also responsible for overseeing the cleanup of toxic superfund sites and holding polluters financially responsible.
The EPA also maintains programs such as WaterSense, which encourages efficiency in water use via high-efficiency toilets, faucets, and irrigation equipment, and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, which regulates the discharge of pollutants into US waters.
Innovative Solutions to Reduce Pollution and Improve Our Environment
You may want to see also
The EPA can oversee the clean-up of toxic superfund sites
The EPA also puts out an annual report called the Toxics Release Inventory, supporting the public's right to know about water pollution and contaminated land in communities across the nation. The EPA can limit or prohibit the use of chemicals that are deemed unsafe for human health or the environment.
The EPA also runs several programs intended to promote energy efficiency, environmental stewardship, sustainable growth, air and water quality, and pollution prevention. These include the Safer Choice program, which allows consumers to select the safest products available without sacrificing function or quality, and the Energy Star program, which helps consumers choose energy-efficient appliances.
According to the federal Clean Water Act, the EPA must set limits on how much pollution industries can dump in waterways. The goal of the Act is to eliminate pollution discharges into US waters.
Reversing Water Pollution: Is It Possible?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The EPA can oversee the cleanup of toxic superfund sites and hold polluters financially responsible. The EPA also conducts and supervises cleanup efforts on land and in non-coast guard controlled waters for oil or hazardous chemical spills.
The EPA sets health-based standards, limiting contaminants in drinking water. It also provides billions of dollars to communities to deliver safe drinking water and improve water quality. The EPA also puts out a report each year called the Toxics Release Inventory, supporting the public’s Right to Know about water pollution in communities around the nation.
The EPA can step in and measure the safety of drinking water sources threatened by oil and gas operations when states refuse to act. The EPA also reviews the safety of pesticides and herbicides sprayed on food crops, golf courses, and public rights-of-way. It can limit or prohibit uses when it determines a chemical isn’t safe for human health or the environment.
