The Aspen Institute has published a list of “10 ways the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has strengthened America over the past 40 years.” By the way, the EPA was founded by the Nixon administration in 1970. The EPA has helped protect and preseve God's earth in many ways.
- Banned widespread use of the pesticide DDT, which was killing off wildlife and threatening public health.
- Greatly reduced acid rain due to reductions in sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions. Acid rain pollutes water sources.
- Changed public views of waste, which led to innovations making use of waste to create energy and make new products.
- Banned lead from gasoline.
- Classified secondhand smoke as a known cause of cancer. This led to smoking bans in indoor public places, thereby improving public health.
- Set strict emission standards for pollutants emitted by cars and trucks.
- Regulated toxic chemicals and encouraged development of less harmful ones.
- Established a national commitment to restore and maintain the safety of fresh water (the Clean Water Act).
- Promoted fair environmental protection for minority and low-income citizens.
- Increased the amount of public information about chemicals and/or pollutants people may be exposed to in their daily lives.
Current EPA focus areas
- Dealing with climate change.
- Further improving air quality.
- Assuring the safety of chemicals used in everyday products.
- Protecting increasingly compromised waterways and coastal areas.
- Building stronger state and tribal partnerships.
- Expanding protection for underrepresented communities.
Potential future problems
Any of the possible types of roadblocks listed below could hamper the EPA in improving our national stewardship of God's earth.
- An unfriendly Congress.
- Weak White House resolve.
- Public apathy
- Future natural and man-made disasters that divert both attention and resources.
Sources and more information
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