On December 2, 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency officially began operation after being created by executive order and congressional approval earlier that year. The EPA consolidated various environmental responsibilities that had been scattered across multiple federal agencies. Its mandate included enforcing air and water quality standards, regulating pesticides, and overseeing hazardous waste. The agency’s creation reflected growing public concern about pollution, highlighted by events like the Cuyahoga River fires and the first Earth Day. Over the decades, the EPA has issued regulations that significantly reduced smog, lead exposure, and acid rain. It has also been at the center of political debates over environmental protection and economic impacts.
