Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency
"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established in 1970 to consolidate numerous
federal pollution control responsibilities that had been divided among several federal agencies.
EPA’s responsibilities grew over time as Congress enacted an increasing number of
environmental statutes and major amendments to these statutes. EPA’s primary responsibilities
include the regulation of air quality, water quality, and chemicals in commerce; the development
of regulatory criteria for the management and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes; and the
cleanup of environmental contamination. EPA also provides financial assistance to states and
local governments to aid them in administering pollution control programs and in complying with
certain federal environmental requirements. Several federal statutes provide the legal authority for
EPA’s programs and activities. The major provisions of each of the following statutes are briefly
summarized in this report, as laid out in existing law as of this writing..."