The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or sometimes USEPA) is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and with safeguarding the natural environment: air, water, and land. The EPA was proposed by President Richard Nixon and began operation on December 2, 1970, when it was passed by Congress, and signed into law by President Nixon, and has since been chiefly responsible for the environmental policy of the United States.  It is led by its Administrator, who is appointed by the President of the United States. The EPA is not a Cabinet agency, but the Administrator is normally given cabinet rank.

The agency conducts environmental assessment, research, and education. It has the primary responsibility for setting and enforcing national standards under a variety of environmental laws, in consultation with state, tribal, and local governments. It delegates some permitting, monitoring, and enforcement responsibility to U.S. states and Native American tribes. EPA enforcement powers include fines, sanctions, and other measures.

The agency also works with industries and all levels of government in a wide variety of voluntary pollution prevention programs and energy conservation efforts.

EPA offices:

• Office of Administration and Resources
• Office of Air and Radiation
• Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
• Office of Environmental Information
• Office of Environmental Justice
• Office of the Chief Financial Officer
• Office of General Counsel
• Office of Inspector General
• Office of International Affairs
• Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances
• Office of Research and Development
• Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
• Office of Water

Each EPA regional office is responsible within its states for implementing the Agency's programs, except those programs that have been specifically delegated to states.

• Region 1 - responsible within the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
• Region 2 - responsible within the states of New Jersey and New York in addition it's also responsible for the US territories of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Region 3 - responsible within the states of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
• Region 4 - responsible within the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
• Region 5 - responsible within the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
• Region 6 - responsible within the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
• Region 7 - responsible within the states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.
• Region 8 - responsible within the states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
• Region 9 - responsible within the states of Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the territories of Guam and American Samoa.
• Region 10 - responsible within the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

Each regional office also implements programs on Indian Tribal lands, except those programs delegated to Tribal authorities.

Sources

• Wikipedia contributors, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Wikipedia, Accessed 21 September 2008.