United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of
Public Affairs (A-107)
Washington DC 20460
May 1987
OPA 87-005
- __
Your Guide to the
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
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Contents
1 History and Organization
of EPA
3 Clean Water
5 Safe Drinking Water
7 Clean Air
i Protecting the Land
14 Pesticides
16 Toxic Substances
19 Radiation
21 Research and
Development
23 Enforcement of
Environmental Laws
24 Appendix I: EPA Regional
Offices
26 Appendix II: EPA
Research Facilities
Cover photo credits Steve De/aney, f PA. Gary
Greene, Gary Greene Artworks. ./ Madrigal.
Bureau of Reclamation William S Keller.
National Park Service
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Preface
Our environment has been threatened for
many decades by human activities
undertaken without regard for their
effects on the life-sustaining, economic,
and recreational value of the air, land, and
water. To protect and restore the quality
of these essential and irreplaceable
resources, Congress enacted a series of
laws which have brought about significant
environmental improvements, though
many challenging problems remain.
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is responsible for
implementing the federal laws designed
to protect the environment. Questions
and decisions concerning air, water, and
land affect nearly every aspect of our
lives. As our understanding of
environmental issues has grown, so have
EPA's responsibilities. This booklet
describes how EPA is addressing the
major environmental problems that
confront our nation.
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Administrator
Deputy Administrator
Staff Offices
Administrative Law Judges
Civil Rights
Associate Administrator
for International Activities
Associate Administrator
for Regional Operations
Small and Disadvantaged
Business Utilization
Science Advisory Board
Assistant Administrator
for Administration and
Resources Management
Assistant Administrator
for Enforcement and
Compliance Monitoring
General Counsel
Assistant Administrator
for Policy, Planning,
and Evaluation
Office of
the Comptroller
Office of
Criminal Enforcement
Office of
Policy Analysis
Office of
Senior Enforcement
Counsel
Office of
Administration
Office of
Standards and Regulations
Office of
Management Systems
and Evaluation
Office of
Information Resources
and Management
Office of
Human Resources
Management
Office of Administration
Cincinnati, OH
Office of Administration
and Resources
Management, RTP, NC
Assistant Administrator
for Water
Assistant Administrator
for Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
ssistant Administrator
>r Air and Radiation
Assistant Administrator
for Pesticides and
Toxic Substances
Office of
Solid Waste
Office of Air Quality
Planning and Standards
Office of Water
Regulations and Standards
Office of
Pesticide Programs
Office of
Ground-Water Protection
Office of Emergency
and Remedial Response
Office of
Mobile Sources
Office of
Toxic Substances
Office of
Drinking Water
Office of Waste
Programs Enforcement
Office of
Radiation Programs
Office of
Compliance Monitoring
Office of Municipal
Pollution Control
Office of Underground
Storage Tanks
Office of Water
Enforcement and Permits
Office of Marine
and Estuarine Protection
Office of
Wetlands Protection
Region 7
Kansas City
Region 3
Philadelphia
Region 2
New York
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History and Organization of EPA
ssistant Administrator
>r External Affairs
Office of
Community and
Intergovernmental
Relations
Office of Audit
Office of Investigations
Office of Management
and Technical Assistance
Assessment
Office of
Congressional Liaison
Office of
Public Affairs
Office of
Federal Activities
Office of
Legislative Analysis
ssistant Administrator
r Research and
evelopment
Office of
Acid Deposition,
Environmental Monitoring
and Quality Assurance
Office of
Environmental Engineering
Technology
Demonstrations
Office of
Environmental Processes
and Effects Research
Office of
Health Research
Office of Health and
Environmental
Assessment
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency was created through an
Executive reorganization plan designed to
consolidate a number of federal
environmental activities into a single
agency. The plan (Reorganization Plan #3
0? 1970) was sent to Congress by
President Nixon on July 9, 1970, and EPA
was formally established as an
independent agency in the Executive
Branch on December 2, 1970.
EPA was formed by bringing together
15 components from five Executive
departments and independent agencies.
Air pollution control, solid waste
management, radiation control, and the
drinking water program were transferred
from the Department of Health,
Education, and Welfare (now the
Department of Health and Human
Services). The federal water pollution
control program was taken from the
Department of the Interior, as was part of
a pesticide research program. From the
Department of Agriculture, EPA acquired
authority to register pesticides and to
regulate their use, and from the Food and
Drug Administration inherited the
responsibility to set tolerance levels for
pesticides in food. EPA was assigned
some responsibility for setting
environmental radiation protection
standards from the old Atomic Energy
Commission, and absorbed the duties of
the Federal Radiation Council.
The enactment of major new
environmental laws and important
amendments to older laws in the 1970s
greatly expanded EPA's responsibi ities.
The Agency now administers nine
comprehensive environmental protection
laws: the Clean Air Act (CAA); the Clean
Water Act (CWA); the Safe Drinking
Water Act (SDWA); the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act (CERCLA, or
"Superfund"); the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (RCRA); the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA); the Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA); the Marine
Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act
(MPRSA); and the Uranium Mill Tailings
Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA).
The Agency is directed by an
Administrator and a Deputy Administrator,
who are appointed by the President with
the advice and consent of the Senate.
Nine Assistant Administrators, who
manage specific environmental programs
or direct other Agency functions, the
Agency's General Counsel, and its
Inspector General also are named by the
President and subject to Senate
confirmation. Ten Regional Administrators
across the country cooperate closely with
state and local governments to make
sure that regional needs are considered
and that federal environmental laws are
properly implemented. (Appendix I lists
these regional offices.) The Agency's
executive staff includes Associate
Administrators for International Activities
and Regional Operations. The chart
shows how EPA is organized.
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Clean Water
Oceans, rivers, streams, lakes, estuaries
underground aquifers, and wetlands are
essential, in one way or another, to all
forms of life, and play a central role in
much of our economic activity and
recreation.
These functions have been seriously
threatened by the long-standing use of
natural bodies of water as dumping
places for human and industrial wastes,
by the destruction of major parts of water
systems such as wetlands, and by poor
land management practices that choke
waters with sediment and poison them
with toxic pollutants.
Water pollution has two major origins'
point sources and nonpomt sources. Point
sources are specific points of discharge,
such as outfall pipes from industrial
facilities or sewage treatment plants.
Nonpomt sources, on the other hand,
cannot be located so precisely.
Unchannelized runoff from city streets,
from construction sites, and from farms
and mines are examples of nonpomt
sources. Both sources contribute heavily
to the pollution of our nation's waters
Water has been polluted by many kinds
of substances. Some pollutants, such as
sewage from households, are discharged
in very large amounts Unless treated,
sewage can overload the natural capacity
of water bodies to cleanse themselves.
Other pollutants, toxic substances, can
cause damage to our waters, even in
very small amounts
The first federal legislation to protect
our waters from pollution was the Rivers
and Harbors Act of 1899 Congress
enacted stronger legislation in 1948,
1956, 1965, 1966, and 1970 However,
EPA's current program of water pollution
control is based upon the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act Amendments of
1972, also known as the Clean Water
Act. Amendments passed in 1977, 1981,
and 1987 made some important changes,
but the basic objectives and procedures
of the Clean Water Act remained.
The major objective of the Clean Water
Act is to restore and maintain the
"chemical, physical, and biological
integrity of the Nation's waters." The Act
seeks to secure "water quality which
provides for the protection and
propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife,
and provides for recreation in and on the
water." Progress toward this objective
has required spending billions of dollars
and the control of hundreds of thousands
of water pollution sources.
The Act requires each state to set
water quality standards for every
significant body of surface water within
its borders. Water quality standards
represent the goals which pollution
controls are meant to secure. To set
these standards, states specify the uses
of each body of water (such as drinking
water, recreation, commercial fishing) and
restrict pollution to levels that permit
those uses.
To curb pollution from household and
commercial sewage, the Act requires that
all publicly-owned municipal sewage
systems provide secondary treatment of
wastewater (a bio-chemical process)
before it is discharged.
Since few communities could afford
the facilities needed to provide such
treatment, Congress established a
financial assistance program of
construction grants as part of the 1972
law Under this program, EPA provides
funds to the states, which allocate the
money to local communities to help
finance new or improved treatment
facilities During the first 15 years of the
program, construction grants to the
states amounted to approximately $45
billion. However, in 1977 and 1981
Congress enacted amendments to the
Clean Water Act which required
fundamental changes in the construction
grants program. The 1977 amendments
required delegation of many program
responsibilities to the states. The 1981
amendments reduced the federal share
in funding facilities and continued the
transition from federal to state and local
responsibility for providing municipal
wastewater treatment services. In 1987,
amendments addressed the phasing out
of the construction grants program by
providing for states to develop alternative
funding mechanisms. EPA will develop
and implement a program to help
capitalize state-operated revolving loan
funds for furthering wastewater
treatment programs. EPA's technical
assistance to state and local governments
is expected to increase and continue
indefinitely.
The 1987 amendments also give EPA
and the states new responsibilities in the
regulation of toxics and sewage sludge.
The Congress also authorized $400
million over four years for grants to states
for non-point source pollution control
activities.
To ensure that communities meet
treatment requirements, sewage facilities
must secure permits under the National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) The permits specify the types
and amounts of pollutants that may be
discharged
Industries discharging pollutants into
waterways or publicly-owned sewage
systems also are subject to control
requirements, with an ultimate goal of
completely eliminating the discharge of
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pollutants into the nation's waters.
Nationwide standards are established by
EPA for certain categories of industries,
with requirements tailored to the
availability and economic feasibility of
control technology. These effluent
limitations will become increasingly
stringent through the 1980s, particularly
for discharges of toxic pollutants.
Like municipal dischargers, industrial
point source dischargers must secure
permits under the NPDES program.
Industries using public sewage systems
must meet pretreatment standards
designed to prevent the discharge of
pollutants, particularly toxics, that
adversely affect or simply pass through
secondary treatment facilities.
Sometimes, however, even stringent
control of industrial and municipal point
sources is not enough to attain stipulated
water quality standards. There are two
major reasons for this. First, many bodies
of water are heavily polluted by nonpoint
sources. Second, even with stringent
controls, the amount of pollution
discharged from point sources may be
too much for the receiving water to
accept. This may be the case in urban
regions particularly.
To bridge this gap, state and local
governments must devise plans laying
out the steps they will take to bring water
quality up to acceptable levels. In general,
these plans will involve a mixture of
controls on nonpoint sources and more
stringent controls on point sources,
including a general prohibition against the
discharge of toxic materials in hazardous
amounts. To determine if they are
discharging hazardous amounts, sources
may be required to conduct biological
tests of fish and shellfish in receiving
waters. Such tests are often more useful
than standard chemical tests for showing
the effects of complex pollutant mixtures.
Funding to the states for planning their
control strategies is provided through
EPA's water quality management
program.
Two other programs that are important
to the protection of water resources are
the dredge and fill permit system and the
regulation of ocean dumping.
Under section 404 of the Clean Water
Act, EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers are jointly responsible for
protecting waters against degradation and
destruction caused by disposal of
dredged spoils or fill. This protection
extends to the nation's wetlands—its
marshes, swamps, bogs, and similar
areas. Wetlands are vital elements of
natural water systems, providing flood
control benefits, habitats for fish and
wildlife, and natural pollution filters.
Permits to carry out dredge and fill
activities in wetlands areas are granted by
the Corps of Engineers subject to EPA
approval. Because of the importance of
wetlands as a natural resource, EPA has
established an Office of Wetlands
Protection to provide increased leadership
and assistance in protecting this
ecological asset.
Under the Marine Protection, Research,
and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, EPA is
required to protect the oceans from
indiscriminate dumping of wastes. The
Agency is authorized to designate safe
sites for dumping, issue permits for
dumping, and assess penalties for
improper dumping.
Water quality is protected by nearly all
of the laws EPA administers. Air pollution
controls, for example, keep harmful
pollutants from entering the water from
the atmosphere. Laws governing
radiation, toxic substances, and pesticides
also deal with special pollution problems
which may affect water quality. In
addition, a major Agency objective is
regulating solid wastes to prevent the
contamination of ground water and
surface waters by the seepage of harmful
substances from disposal sites.
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Safe Drinking Water
Less than 100 years ago, epidemics of
waterborne diseases were a major public
health menace in the U.S. Today, we
hardly give them a thought. Twentieth
century methods of water
purification—particularly
chlorination—have been remarkably
effective in reducing instances of cholera,
typhoid, dysentery, and infectious
hepatitis. Waterborne diseases still occur
all too frequently, but major epidemics
have been virtually eliminated in this
century.
In recent years, however, public health
professionals have become increasingly
concerned about other contaminants in
our water supplies. These include
inorganic chemicals such as nitrate,
arsenic, and lead, as well as toxic organic
chemicals which have been produced in
ever growing volumes. Certain pesticides
also have been added to the list of
contaminants that have found their way
into drinking water in some places. Some
of these pollutants are harmful even in
small amounts, and can be extremely
difficult to remove once they have
contaminated a water supply.
To deal with these problems, Congress
passed the Safe Drinking Water Act of
1974, and amended that act in 1977 and
1986. Under the Act, EPA establishes
national standards for drinking water from
both surface and ground-water sources.
These standards provide maximum
contaminant levels (MCLs) for pollutants in
drinking water. States are primarily
responsible for enforcing the standards,
with financial assistance from EPA.
The Safe Drinking Water Act also
authorized EPA to protect aquifers against
contamination from the disposal of
wastes by injection into deep wells.
Some states have assumed responsibility
for managing these underground injection
control programs as they develop their
own regulatory systems.
Ground water in many areas is
vulnerable to serious contamination from
a number of sources, such as leachate
from hazardous waste landfills, leaking
underground storage tanks, and pesticide
use. Protection of essential aquifers is
one of the major environmental
challenges of the 1980s. EPA has
developed a ground-water protection
strategy to safeguard ground water and
has established a separate office within
its Office of Water to oversee this effort.
In addition, the 1986 amendments to
the Safe Drinking Water Act contain two
new ground-water provisions that require
innovative approaches to resource
assessment and protection: the Wellhead
Protection Program and the Sole Source
Aquifer Demonstration Program.
The Wellhead Protection Program is
designed to protect wells that supply
public water systems. It is
state-developed and administered. EPA is
required, however, to issue technical
guidance and assist in funding state
efforts. The purpose of the Sole Source
Aquifer Demonstration Program is to
promote the adoption of special
protective measures for critical areas
within an aquifer that has been
designated as a sole source for a
community's or region's water supply,, and
to identify and evaluate exemplary
programs and techniques for minimizing
ground-water contamination.
Both of these programs are designed
to protect ground water while allowing
states the flexibility to tailor efforts to
specific local conditions and geologic
settings. At the same time, EPA is
making every effort to implement the
programs within the overall context of
federal and state ground-water protection
strategies.
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Clean Air
People have known for centuries that air
can carry poisons. That's why miners
used to take canaries with them into the
coal pits. A dead bird meant the presence
of lethal gases. But before the
smokestack boom of the industrial
revolution, "bad air" was an isolated
phenomenon. By the beginning of the
twentieth century, however, it was a
common urban characteristic, and by
mid-century, it had become a serious,
sometimes fatal, health hazard. In 1952,
for example, a "killer fog" in London was
responsible for some 4,000 deaths
over a five-day period.
Air pollution is not limited to industrial
cities. Automobile exhaust is a major
contributor to air pollution; heavy traffic
can cause air quality problems even in
cities with little or no industry. Neither is
air pollution a respecter of boundaries. Its
effects frequently appear far away from
its sources.
Federal legislation to control air
pollution was first enacted in 1955, and
strengthened in 1963, 1965, and 1967.
However, it was the Clean Air Act of
1970 that shaped the control program we
have today. Congress reviewed and
amended the law in 1975 and 1977, but
retained the basic principles of the 1970
Act.
The fundamental objective of the Clean
Air Act is the protection of the public
health and welfare from harmful effects
of air pollution. To define this goal, EPA
sets two kinds of National Ambient Air
Quality Standards (NAAQS) specifying
maximum acceptable levels for pollutants
in outdoor air. Primary standards set
limits which protect human health,
including "sensitive populations" such as
children, asthmatics, or the elderly.
Secondary standards protect plants,
animals, and material from harmful
effects of air pollution.
EPA has set primary and secondary
standards for six Criteria pollutants:
carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, lead,
sulfur dioxides, ozone, and particulates.
These standards are based on medical
and scientific evidence of a pollutant's
health and environmental effects. EPA is
required to review this evidence every
five years and analyze any new data
available. If the review indicates changes
are needed, the standard is revised.
Some regions of the nation, such as
national parks and wilderness areas, have
exceptionally good air quality—better, in
fact, than the quality that could be
assured by the primary and secondary
standards. To retain this quality, such
areas must meet prevention of significant
deterioration (PSD) standards established
to preserve the pristine air and clear
vistas that contribute to the natural
beauty of these national lands.
The Clean Air Act also requires that
EPA establish National Emissions
Standards for Hazardous Pollutants
(NESHAPS) to control the emission of
substances so toxic that even small
amounts may adversely affect health.
EPA has established NESHAPS for
asbestos, berylium, mercury, vinyl
chloride, benzene, and arsenic.
Most air pollution comes from
stationary sources, such as factories,
power plants, and smelters, or from
mobile sources', automobiles, buses,
trucks, locomotives, and airplanes.
To control pollution from mobile
sources, the Clean Air Act and supporting
regulations provide for automobile
emission controls that have become
more stringent as increasingly effective
technology has developed. The use of
catalytic converters and unleaded
gasoline in newer model cars has been
particularly important in achieving better
air quality despite a continuing rise in the
number of motor vehicles on the road.
To help ensure compliance with air
quality standards by stationary sources,
EPA sets New Source Performance
Standards that limit emissions allowed
from new industrial plants and existing
plants that are substantially modified. By
requiring uniform emission limits on new
sources regardless of location, Congress
has prevented air pollution controls from
becoming a source of regional rivalry.
Standards are now in effect for most
major industries.
Since national performance standards
apply only to new or modified plants,
these controls generally are not adequate
in themselves to assure acceptable air
quality. State governments must
therefore draw up and enforce Sfafe
Implementation Plans (SIPS), which spell
out additional measures that will be
undertaken to achieve acceptable air
quality. Typically, these include controls
on older industrial plants and other
stationary sources of pollution, along with
measures to cut back traffic volumes or
in other ways reduce emissions related to
motor vehicles. SIPS are subject to EPA
approval. If a state plan is not acceptable,
EPA is required to provide an
implementation plan which the state
must then enforce.
In recent years, the nation has seen a
steady improvement in air quality. Since
1975 the ambient levels of all six criteria
pollutants have decreased, in some cases
dramatically. Ambient lead, for example,
has dropped by 70 percent, largely due to
the increasing use of unleaded gasoline.
Particulate levels have decreased by 20
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percent, ozone levels by 17 percent, and
carbon monoxide levels by 36 percent.
The interpretation of the decrease in the
ozone levels between 1975 and 1984 is
complicated by a calibration change for
ozone measurements that occurred in the
1978-79 time period. In the post-ozone
calibration period (1978 to 1984), ozone
levels decreased 7 percent. Although
nitrogen dioxide levels increased between
1975 and 1979, they began dropping in
1979. By 1984, ambient levels were 10
percent lower than in 1975 and well
below the standard. The number of times
that the standards were exceeded also
dropped significantly during this time.
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Protecting the Land
The numbers alone are overwhelming.
We Americans discard billions of tons of
solid waste every year, and we all want it
to go somewhere else.
In the past, it usually did go away. The
philosophy was "out of sight, out of
mind." Through ignorance or
carelessness, we literally dumped it
anywhere, regardless of the
consequences. Now we know that
irresponsible disposal methods not only
put off real solutions, but can cause
severe health and environmental effects.
Improper disposal, particularly of
hazardous wastes, can contaminate
surface and ground water and contribute
to air pollution.
Congress recognized the serious
problems associated with waste disposal
as early as 1965, when the Solid Waste
Disposal Act was passed. By the
mid-1970s, however, it was clear that a
more vigorous national effort was
needed. In 1976, Congress enacted the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA), which authorized EPA to regulate
current and future waste management
and disposal practices. Congress was
particularly concerned about the
management of hazardous wastes,
whose careless disposal we now have
learned may lead to the contamination of
entire neighborhoods and communities.
At Love Canal in New York, for example,
hazardous waste buried over a 25-year
period contaminated ground and water
and finally forced the evacuation of an
entire neighborhood. In Times Beach,
Missouri, oil contaminated with highly
toxic dioxin was sprayed on roads,
eventually leading to a federal "buyout"
of all homes and businesses in the
community.
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RCRA can help prevent future Love
Canals and similar tragedies, but it does
not address a legacy of abandoned waste
sites or emergencies created by spills or
other releases of hazardous substances.
To deal with these situations. Congress in
1980 passed the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act (CERCLA, or
"Superfund"). CERCLA set up a trust
fund of $1.6 billion dollars financed for
the most part by a tax on chemical
manufacturers over five years and gave
EPA the authority to respond to
hazardous substance releases which
threaten human health and the
environment. In 1986, the Superfund
Amendments and Reauthorization Act
(SARA) amended CERCLA and gave the
Superfund program new responsibilities
and authorities. In addition, Congress
increased the size of the trust fund to
$8.5 billion.
RCRA
Although RCRA has important provisions
encouraging sound municipal disposal
practices and resource recovery, EPA's
major priority under the Act has been the
development of "cradle-to-grave"
regulations governing the generation,
storage, transport, treatment, and
disposal of hazardous wastes. These
wastes include toxic substances,
caustics, pesticides, and other flammable,
corrosive, or explosive materials. EPA
recently estimated that about 264 million
tons of such wastes are produced every
year. That amounts to more than one ton
of waste for every man, woman, and
child in the country.
To carry out RCRA's'provisions, EPA is
responsible for:
• Identifying the characteristics of
hazardous wastes in general and
identifying specific hazardous wastes.
• Enforcing compliance by the
RCRA-regulated community and requiring
action to correct problems found at
operating facilities.
• Developing standards applicable to
generators and transporters of hazardous
wastes, and to operators of hazardous
waste treatment, storage, and disposal
facilities. Under these standards,
- generators must identify the wastes
they produce and report the means of
treatment, storage, or disposal.
- transport of such wastes is monitored
through a uniform manifest system which
ensures a verifiable record of the origin,
route, and destination of each shipment.
- treatment, storage, and disposal
facilities must have permits to operate,
and their design must be adequate to
prevent dangerous waste from leaching
through the soil and contaminating water
sources. Active land disposal sites must
be monitored constantly to prevent
ground-water contamination; closed sites
must be capped properly, as well as
monitored. In addition, owners or
operators of such facilities must
demonstrate financial responsibility for
damage occurring during active
operations, and set aside funds for
monitoring and maintenance after the site
is closed.
Another major goal under RCRA is to
encourage states to develop
comprehensive programs for managing
non-hazardous solid waste, and every
state now has a solid waste management
agency. EPA has supported research and
demonstration projects to stimulate
promising new methods of waste
disposal, resource/energy recovery,
innovative technology, and waste
minimization techniques. The Agency also
has laid out guidelines for developing
waste management plans, established
criteria for classifying land disposal
facilities according to their environmental
acceptability, and published a national
inventory of unacceptable facilities.
Underground Storage Tanks
Polluted ground water, contaminated
soil, explosions, and fire all can be
attributed to what has been described as
"little time bombs ticking"—underground
storage tanks. In the 1950s, fire
departments began to require that tanks
storing volatile liquids be buried to reduce
the risk of explosion and fire. But what
we didn't know was that another risk
was being created that would cause
far-reaching damage to human health and
the environment. Leaking underground
storage tanks have been identified as a
major source of ground-water
contamination. EPA estimates there are
three to five million tanks in the United
States containing petroleum products or
other hazardous substances. Thousands
are thought to be leaking now and many
more will begin to leak in the next five to
10 years. Because half our population
depends on ground water as a source of
drinking water, the underground storage
tank problem has been recognized as one
of national significance requiring federal
legislation.
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In 1984, Congress amended RCRA.
The revised law required EPA to develop
and implement a comprehensive
regulatory program for underground
storage tanks. The Agency will issue
regulations in 1988 addressing leak
detection, corrective action requirements,
standards for new tanks, and other proper
tank management practices. The new
regulations will also include requirements
for tank owners or operators who will
have to show they have insurance or
other financial resources to pay for
damage done by leaking underground
tanks.
Further RCRA amendments in 1986
provided federal funds to clean up
petroleum leaks from underground tanks
in certain circumstances. The Trust Fund
is financed by a tax on motor fuels which
will raise $500 million over the next five
years. EPA is authorized to use Trust
Fund money for emergency cleanups
when federal action is necessary.
However, the Agency intends to develop
cooperative agreements whereby the
states carry out the cleanups under the
Trust Fund.
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Superfund
Superfund authorizes EPA to respond
immediately to situations or sites that
pose a danger to human health or the
environment. While some emergencies
occur because of accidents in the
handling, transporting, or storing of
hazardous wastes, the vast majority of
hazardous waste emergencies are the
result of improper or uncontrolled
disposal practices in the past. EPA
currently has an inventory of 25,000 sites
which have been identified for potential
Superfund actions and estimates that the
inventory will continue to expand.
The Agency has the authority to take
immediate actions, commonly known as
removal actions, where a situation or site
poses an imminent threat. Common
types of removal situations may include,
but are not limited to:
• Spills of hazardous materials when a
truck or train is involved in an accident.
• Discharges of hazardous materials into
the air or water during a fire.
• Improper handling or disposal of
hazardous materials at landfills or
industrial areas.
A removal action is a short-term
response intended to stabilize or clean up
after an incident or at a site which poses
a threat to human health or the
environment. Removal actions can
include removing or disposing of
materials, fencing an area to restrict
access, or temporarily relocating
residents. The primary objective of
removal actions is to bring the situation
under control by stabilizing or stopping
the release of hazardous substances. The
law ordinarily limits removal actions to
twelve months and a total cost of $2
million.
The Agency also has the authority
under the Superfund program to take
long-term cleanup actions at a site. This
is known as a remedial action. Remedial
actions are permitted only at sites
identified on EPA's National Priorities List
(NPL). This is the Agency's list of
hazardous waste sites chosen for
possible long-term remedial actions. More
than 700 sites in 48 states and five
territories have been made eligible for
remedial actions by being listed on the
NPL. EPA often conducts both removal
and remedial actions at the same NPL
sites. Immediate removal actions may be
required during a remedial action if an
immediate threat is discovered during the
course of the cleanup work.
Under the Superfund remedial program,
EPA initiates long-term cleanup actions to
stop or substantially reduce hazardous
material releases, or threats of such
releases, that are serious but not
immediately threatening. Potential NPL
sites are discovered through such
sources as routine reporting, routine site
inspections, and by citizen reports. Once
a potential site is identified, EPA or state
officials conduct a preliminary
assessment by reviewing available
documents about the site. A site
inspection will be conducted to gather
additional information if a potential
problem does exist. Based on information
obtained from the site inspection, EPA
uses its to compare the potential risk
posed by the site to risks posed by other
sites throughout the nation. Those sites
with high enough scores are placed on
the National Priorities List.
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Once a facility has been placed on the
NPL, EPA can conduct a more
comprehensive site investigation. A
remedial investigation and feasibility
study (RI/FS)) is conducted to determine
the nature of the problem and to evaluate
alternative methods for cleaning up the
site. During such an investigation, EPA or
the state collects and analyzes
information needed to determine the
extent and nature of the contamination.
The feasibility study follows, to identify
specific alternative remedies which will
be evaluated by EPA, responsible parties,
and the general public. EPA, with state
concurrence, selects a remedy for the
site which meets the statutory
requirements of CERCLA and the
National Contingency Plan (NCP). the
federal regulation that guides the
Superfund program. Design of the
remedy and construction activities are
conducted under the supervision of EPA
and the Army Corps of Engineers, or a
state can manage all site activities on its
own.
EPA encourages private parties who
are responsible for hazardous waste sites
to clean up those sites voluntarily, with
government oversight of the cleanup
activities. If the responsible parties are
unwilling to do this, EPA will issue an
administrative order or take them to court
to require them to clean up the site. If
the responsible parties ignore an EPA
cleanup order, and EPA must
conduct the cleanup, they may be liable
for punitive damages up to triple the
costs of federal remedial work. If those
responsible are unknown, EPA and the
states will do the work.
States play a number of important roles
in toxic waste management. When EPA
and the states perform cleanup work, the
state contributes 10 percent of the costs
for work at privately-owned facilities, or
50 percent if the facilities are operated by
the state or by a political subdivision
within the state. In addition to
cost-sharing, states are involved in site
selection, establishing cleanup priorities,
and selecting the cleanup methods to be
used in remedial actions. Remedies must
also meet state-promulgated
requirements when such requirements
are stricter than federal standards. States
must also provide adequate capacity for
the management of hazardous wastes
generated within their boundaries. By
1989, each state must be able to assure
EPA that it has the capacity to dispose of
all hazardous wastes for the next 20
years or face the loss of federal funds for
future remedial actions.
Both RCRA and Superfund activities
tend to generate intense public interest
and involvement. Congress has been
careful to protect the interests of affected
citizens by including specific public
participation requirements in the enabling
statutes. Public participation means that
the public is given an opportunity to
understand clearly the programs and
actions proposed, that ample opportunity
is provided for citizens to air their views,
and that officials respond substantively
and in a timely fashion to public
concerns. RCRA legislation, for example,
requires EPA and the states to assist and
encourage public participation in the
development, revision, implementation,
and enforcement of actions taken under
its authority. A key aspect of any
Superfund response is ensuring that local
citizens' and officials' concerns are taken
into account and that information about
the site is widely distributed.
Part of EPA's Air Toxics Strategy deals
with accidental releases of toxics into the
atmosphere. The Agency's Chemical
Emergency Preparedness Program
(CEPP) provides guidance, training, and
technical assistance to states and local
communities to help them identify
chemical hazards and meet their
responsibilities in preparing for and
responding to chemical emergencies.
When Superfund was reauthorized
Congress enacted the Emergency
Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act of 1986 along with the Superfund
Amendments and Reauthorization Act.
Title III of the Act contains requirements
for federal, state, and local governments
and industry related to emergency
planning, emergency notification and
"community right-to-know" reporting on
hazardous chemicals. These requirements
include right-to-know provisions allowing
the public to obtain information about the
presence of hazardous chemicals in the
community and releases of such into the
environment.
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Pesticides
Pesticides are chemical or biological
substances used to control unwanted
plants, insects, fungi, rodents, or bacteria.
They include insecticides, herbicides,
fungicides, rodenticides, fumigants,
disinfectants, and plant growth regulators.
While pesticide use has contributed to
increased agricultural production and
improved public health through control of
disease-carrying pests, acute and
chronic human health and environmental
risks also can be associated with the use
of many of these chemicals. In
determining whether to permit the
marketing of a pesticide and how to
regulate its use, EPA balances such
potential risks against the benefits
that may be derived from use of the
chemical.
Over 45,000 pesticide products are
registered by EPA for use in the United
States. Yearly production is approximately
1.1 billion pounds, costing $6.6 billion.
About 77 percent of all pesticides used in
this country are applied in agricultural
production, 7 percent in home and garden
settings, and the remaining 16 percent in
forestry, industry, and government
programs.
EPA's regulation of pesticides is
mandated by Congress. Through its
Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), the
Agency administers two statutes:
• The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Hodenticide Act (FIFRA), last amended in
1980, governs the licensing or
"registration" of pesticide products.
• The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act (FFDCA), among other things, governs
pesticide residue levels in food or feed
crops.
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FIFRA
FIFRA was originally enacted in 1947,
when it replaced the Federal Insecticide
Act of 7970. Congress has amended
FIFRA several times since then, most
importantly in 1972 when the emphasis
in pesticide regulation was shifted from
ensuring the efficacy of pesticide
products to protecting public health and
the environment. EPA has administered
FIFRA since 1970 when it took over the
responsibility from the U.S. Department
of Agriculture.
EPA is responsible under FIFRA for
registering new pesticides to ensure that,
when used according to label directions,
they will not present unreasonable risks
to human health or the environment. The
law requires the Agency to take into
account economic, social, and
environmental costs and benefits when
making such decisions. This balancing of
risks and benefits underlies all basic
regulatory decisions under the Act.
Pesticide registration is a pre-market
review and licensing program for all
pesticides marketed in the United States,
whether of domestic or foreign origin.
Registration decisions for new pesticides
are based on evaluation of test data
(provided by registrants) which show
whether a pesticide has the potential to
cause adverse effects in humans or the
environment. Potential human risks
include poisoning, skin and eye irritation,
cancer, birth defects, or reproductive
system disorders. Data on
"environmental fate," or how a pesticide
behaves in the environment, are also
required so EPA can determine, among
other things, whether a pesticide poses a
threat to non-target species (species
other than those it is meant to control) or
ground water.
Through its "reregistration" process,
EPA also examines pesticides registered
prior to current regulatory requirements
to assure that these chemicals meet the
same "no unreasonable adverse effects"
criteria that apply to new pesticides.
Whenever new data on an old pesticide
indicate that it may be presenting
unreasonable risks, EPA initiates a public
"special review" to determine whether
regulatory action is warranted. At the
conclusion of a special review, EPA may
decide to continue, restrict, or cancel the
uses under consideration.
Additionally, EPA has the authority to
classify certain pesticide products for
restricted use. While most pesticide
products can be used safely by anyone,
provided label directions, restrictions, and
precautions are carefully observed,
restricted use pesticides pose potentially
serious hazards to applicators or the
environment, so they may be used only
by persons who are trained, certified
applicators.
FIFRA includes provisions for:
monitoring the distribution and use of
pesticides; issuing civil as well as criminal
penalties for violations; "cooperative
enforcement agreements" between EPA
and the states; and a certification and
training program for applicators that
qualifies them to use chemicals classified
for restricted use. Primary enforcement
for pesticide violations is now carried out
by the states, subject to oversight by
EPA.
FFDCA
Under the FFDCA, EPA sets tolerances,
or maximum legal limits, for pesticide
residues on food commodities and feed
grains marketed in the United States. The
purpose of the tolerance program is to
ensure that U.S. consumers are not
exposed to unsafe pesticide levels on or in
their food.
The Agency establishes a tolerance
only if residue chemistry and toxicological
data indicate that no unreasonable risk to
consumers will result. Tolerances are set
at levels no higher than necessary to
permit marketing of treated commodities.
The Food and Drug Administration and
the U.S. Department of Agriculture are
responsible for enforcing tolerances for
food and feed commodities in interstate
commerce. Any domestic or imported
commodities with residues in excess of
U.S. tolerance levels are subject to
seizure and destruction.
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Toxic Substances
Chemicals are a vital part of our lives, and
most of them are not dangerous to our
health or the environment if used
properly. But some are toxic substances
that even in minute amounts can cause
death, disease, genetic damage, or
severe environmental harm. Toxic
substances include a number of
manufactured chemicals, as well as
naturally-occurring heavy metals and
other materials. The damage already
caused by uncontrolled releases of these
substances has been enormous.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxin,
and asbestos are now among the toxic
materials whose common use in earlier
years has left a legacy of contamination
that plagues wide areas of the country
today.
To provide a safeguard against the
introduction of additional contaminants to
our environment and to address the risks
posed by existing chemicals, Congress, in
1976, passed the Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA). TSCA is intended to
identify and control chemicals that pose
an unreasonable risk to human health or
the environment through their
manufacture, processing, commercial
distribution, use, or disposal. (Eight
categories of chemical products are
exempt from TSCA because they are
regulated under other laws. These include
pesticides, tobacco, nuclear materials,
firearms and ammunition, food, food
additives, drugs, and cosmetics.)
One of EPA's major regulatory tools
under TSCA is its authority to screen new
chemicals through the premanufacture
notification process. Manufacturers are
required to notify EPA at least 90 days
before producing or importing a new
chemical substance. This enables the
Agency to assess the potential risks of a
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new chemical before manufacture begins.
If a chemical substance is suspected of
posing an unreasonable risk, but key data
are missing, EPA may require
manufacturers to test the substance for
toxicity, cancer-causing potential,
reproductive effects, or other
characteristics. In addition, an Interagency
Testing Committee of government
experts advises EPA if certain chemicals
should be tested. Chemicals deemed to
be harmful may be regulated in a number
of ways, ranging from labeling
requirements to outright bans on the
manufacture or use of especially
hazardous substances. If appropriate, EPA
may also refer chemicals to other federal
agencies with regulatory responsibility
over toxic chemicals. These agencies
include the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration; the Food and Drug
Administration; the Consumer Product
Safety Commission; and the Food Safety
and Quality Service of the Department of
Agriculture.
TSCA also requires EPA to develop and
keep current a comprehensive chemical
inventory. This inventory, which is based
on information submitted by chemical
manufacturers, processors, and
importers, presents an overall picture of
the chemicals used for commercial
purposes in the U.S. (Although there are
well over four million known chemical
compounds, most of these are used only
in research and development. TSCA is
applicable only to those chemicals in
commercial use.) Chemicals not on the
inventory must be reviewed by EPA
before they can be manufactured in or
imported into the U.S.
In addition to keeping its own chemical
inventory, EPA also requires the
chemical industry to report and keep
records on the manufacture, processing,
use, and disposal of chemical substances,
the by-products generated by
manufacture, the number of people
exposed in the workplace, and other
relevant information, including all
significant adverse reactions to health and
the environment alleged to have been
caused by a chemical. Industry also must
report to EPA any information that
indicates that a chemical substance or
mixture presents a risk to health or the
environment. These reporting
requirements enable EPA to monitor the
actual environmental and health effects of
a substance, and to take further action if
necessary.
Another of EPA's concerns is to ensure
consistency in evaluating chemical
hazards, both within and outside the
Agency. The Good Laboratory Practices
standards assure that test data submitted
to EPA conform with requirements for
administration of testing labs, the control
and management of laboratory test
animals, the documentation of tests, and
the handling of test data. In addition, EPA
works closely with the 24-nation
Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development to develop uniform
chemical testing guidelines.
Some toxic substances require special
attention because they are so widespread
in the environment or because they pose
serious health threats even at extremely
low levels of contamination. Particularly
troublesome substances include
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs),
asbestos, and dioxin. PCBs, for example,
were widely used for about 50 years
because of their heat resistant properties.
So persistent is this group of chemicals
that everyone in this country likely has
trace levels of it in their bodies now.
Further production of PCBs was banned
specifically by TSCA because these
substances were found to cause adverse
reproductive effects, skin lesions,
developmental effects, and tumors.
Another substance of concern is
asbestos, which when inhaled by human
beings causes lung cancer and
mesothelioma, a cancer of the
membranes lining the chest and
abdomen. These effects may take many
years to show up, depending on the
degree and length of exposure. Asbestos
frequently was used in buildings as a fire
retardant, and in many cases has started
to crumble and be released into the air.
Because many school buildings used
asbestos, hazards to children are a
particular concern. EPA's school asbestos
rule, issued in May of 1982, requires all
elementary and secondary school
administrators to have their buildings
inspected for friable asbestos, notify
parents and employees of any asbestos
detected, and maintain records certifying
compliance with the rule. (Friable
materials are those that, when dry, may
be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to
powder by hand pressure.)
EPA also is using its authorities under
both TSCA and FIFRA to keep a close
watch on developments in biotechnology.
Biotechnology is the use of biological
processes to produce chemicals or living
organisms for commercial use. The
agency is focusing particularly on plans to
use naturally occurring organisms in new
ways or in non-indigenous habitats, and
on attempts to manufacture and use
genetically altered microorganisms.
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Radiation
Ionizing radiation can be a serious
environmental contaminant. Sources of
this form of radiation include uranium
mining and milling, nuclear power
wastes, and radioactive materials used in
medicine. The health effects of
non-ionizing, electromagnetic radiation
—such as radio-frequency waves and
radiation from high voltage power
lines—are not as well understood, but
they, too, may be hazardous.
A number of federal agencies, including
EPA, are responsible for protecting the
public from unnecessary exposure. EPA
received its authority in this area under
the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, the
Public Health Service Act of 1962, the
Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, the
Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977, the
Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control
Act of 1978, the Marine Protection,
Research, and Sanctuaries Act, the
Clean Water Act, the Nuclear Waste
Policy of 1982, and the Comprehensive
Environmental Response Compensation,
and Liability Act. The Agency's major
responsibilities are to set radiation
guidelines, to assess new technology,
and to monitor radiation in the
environment.
To protect the public from
environmental exposure to excessive
radiation, EPA has set standards limiting
releases from nuclear power plants, from
mill tailings at active and inactive uranium
processing sites, from licensed uranium
mills, from underground uranium mines,
and from radionuclides in drinking water.
EPA has also limited releases of airborne
radionuclides from some other major
sources. The Agency has set standards
for the disposal of high-level radioactive
waste and is developing standards for
low-level waste. EPA has developed
federal guidance on the medical use of
X-rays. It has also proposed guidance for
exposure to radiofrequency radiation and
completed work on guidance for
occupational exposure to ionizing
radiation. The Agency is studying
approaches to cleaning up residual
radiation at decommissioned nuclear
facilities and is developing guidance for
protective action in nuclear accidents.
Additionally, the Agency has
implemented a national program to deal
with the emerging problem of indoor
radon. The program will develop methods
to more accurately characterize the
problem, and will develop and
disseminate information on methods of
reducing radon exposure in existing and
future structures.
EPA also participates in planning
responses to radiological emergencies.
The Agency is prepared to provide field-
monitoring help to other federal agencies,
as well as state and local governments, in
the event of an emergency at a nuclear
facility.
Finally, EPA monitors radiation in the
environment through a network of 268
stations that sample surface and drinking
water, air, precipitation, and milk. The
monitoring data are used to identify
trends in environmental radiation levels,
to establish ambient levels of
radioactivity, and to assess actions
needed to protect the public.
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Research and Development
Protecting people from environmental
hazard is a complex task, made all the
harder because many actions must be
taken on the basis of incomplete
scientific information. To maintain public
trust in EPA's decisions, it is essential
that the Agency's decision makers
objectively interpret and work with the
best available scientific data.
EPA's research office provides these
data—for the most part—in six major
research areas: engineering and
technology; environmental processes and
effects; monitoring systems and quality
assurance; health effects; health and
environmental assessment; and
exploratory research.
Research in environmental engineering
and technology assesses pollution from
industrial and municipal sources, and
analyzes alternative control technologies.
Examples of research include exploring
innovative techniques for removing and
disposing of pollutants, and developing
cost-effective methods of providing safe
drinking water.
Environmental processes and effects
research seeks to develop the data
necessary for predicting and managing
the movement of pollutants through the
environment and for determining their
effects on ecosystems and nonhuman
organisms. Research within this area also
develops mathematical models relating
pollution emissions to air quality.
Through its research in monitoring
systems and quality assurance, EPA
develops methods to measure and
monitor pollutants, as well as ensure that
these measurements are accurate and
follow standardized procedures.
Health effects research provides the
data needed to accurately estimate
human mortality and illness caused by
pollutants. Research facilities include one
of the nation's few facilities capable of
testing human exposure, and research
areas include developing data on
dose-responses and methods of using
such data to estimate human health
effects.
A major factor in EPA's regulatory
decisions is the Agency's determination
of the hazard posed by various pollutants.
EPA's health and environmental
assessment research includes an effort to
provide an integrated, scientific
foundation for evaluating the health and
environmental effects stemming from
exposure to a substance and for
determining the risks of such exposure.
EPA also needs to anticipate
environmental problems and issues. The
exploratory research program assesses
potential environmental trends and funds
research to meet needs for basic
scientific knowledge. EPA has 14
research laboratories and several field
stations to carry out its in-house research,
and this capability is extended through
grants, cooperative agreements, and
research contracts with universities and
other private institutions. The Agency's
largest research centers are in Research
Triangle Park, NC, and Cincinnati, OH.
Appendix II lists EPA research
laboratories.
EPA also relies on its Science Advisory
Board for technical advice and review.
This Board is a panel of eminent non-EPA
scientists established by Congress to
advise the Agency on scientific issues
and review the quality of EPA scientific
research.
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Enforcement of Environmental Laws
EPA's mission is to protect human health
and the environment. That's the goal of
its hundreds of complicated regulations.
In most cases, the regulated community
complies with these requirements. But
when regulated entities fail to comply
voluntarily, EPA, in partnership with
cooperating state agencies, can take a
number of actions. Enforcement activities
may take the form of compliance
promotion, administrative money
penalties, negotiated compliance
schedules, and ultimately, judicial
enforcement involving criminal
proceedings in federal court.
Judicial enforcement is only one of the
tools that EPA and the states use for
inducing compliance, but it is a very
important one. Not the least of its virtues
is its deterrence value. By seeking and
winning large financial and criminal
penalties against significant violators, the
Agency seeks to remove any incentives
for non-compliance. EPA will seek
penalties at least as large as the gam ^
company may have realized by violating
the law. A major objective is to ensure
that violators are not inclined to consider
fines simply as a cost of doing business.
More and more, the courts have shown
they are willing to punish willful polluters
with stiff civil penalities or with criminal
convictions, substantial fines, and prison
sentences.
To support these enforcement efforts,
EPA maintains a National Enforcement
Investigations Center in Denver, CO. The
Center's combination of laboratory,
investigative, and engineering skills is
often instrumental in developing the solid
evidence that enables EPA to win its
cases in court.
Another key component in the
Agency's enforcement effort is the work
of its criminal investigation unit. Because
of their specialized training in criminal law
enforcement techniques, these
investigators have been successful in
cracking down on illegal discharges into
waterways, "midnight dumping" of toxic
substances, and the deliberate
destruction or falsification of vital test
results or environmental reports.
Enforcing environmental laws and
regulations often calls for close
cooperation among EPA, its regional
offices, the U.S. Justice Department, and
myriad state and local agencies. All have
an important role in achieving significant
improvements in environmental quality.
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Appendix I: EPA Regional Offices
EPA Region 1
JFK Federal Building
Boston, MA 02203
(617) 565-3715
Connecticut, Massachusetts,
Maine, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island, Vermont
EPA Region 2
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278
(212)264-2515
New Jersey, New York,
Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands
Field Component
Caribbean Field Office
P.O. Box 792
San Juan, PR 00909
(809) 725-7825
EPA Region 3
841 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215)597-9800
Delaware, Maryland,
Pennsylvania, Virginia,
West Virginia,
District of Columbia
EPA Region 4
345 Courtland Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30365
(404) 347-4727
Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
Kentucky, Mississippi,
North Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee
EPA Region 5
230 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60604
(312)353-2000
Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, Minnesota,
Ohio, Wisconsin
Field Component
Eastern District Office
25089 Center Ridge Road
West Lake, OH 44145
(216) 835-5200
EPA Region 6
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 655-2200
Arkansas, Louisiana,
New Mexico, Oklahoma,
Texas
EPA Region 7
726 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101
(913) 236-2800
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri,
Nebraska
EPA Region 8
One Denver Place
999 18th Street
Denver, CO, 80202-2413
(303)293-1603
Colorado, Montana,
North Dakota, South
Dakota, Utah, Wyoming
EPA Region 9
215 Fremont Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415)974-8071
Arizona, California, Hawaii,
Nevada, American Samoa, Guam,
Trust Territories of the Pacific
Field Component
Pacific Islands Office
P.O. Box 50003
300 Ala Moana Boulevard
Room 1302
Honolulu, HI 96850
(800) 546-8910
EPA Region 10
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA98101
(206) 442-5810
Alaska, Idaho, Oregon,
Washington
Field Components
Alaska Operations Office
Room E556, Federal Building
701 C Street
Anchorage, AK 99513
(907)271-5083
Alaska Operations Office
3200 Hospital Drive
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 586-7619
(907) 586-7619
Idaho Operations Office
422 West Washington Street,
Boise, ID
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Appendix II: EPA Research Facilities
Research Facilities Operated by
ORD
Environmental Research
Laboratory
South Ferry Road
Narragansett. Rl, 02882
(401) 789-1071
Pacific Division
Hatfield Marine Science Center
Newport. OR, 97365
(503) 867-4041
Environmental Monitoring Systems
Laboratory
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
(919)541-2106
Atmospheric Sciences
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
(919) 541-2191
Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
(919) 541-2821
Health Effects
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
(919) 541-2281
Toxicology and Microbiology
Division
Cincinanati, OH
(513) 569-7401
Environmental Research
Laboratory
College Station Road
Athens, Georgia
(404) 546-3134
Environmental Research
Laboratory
Sabine Island
Gulf Breeze, FL 32561
(904) 932-5311
Environmental Monitoring and
Support Laboratory
Cincinnati, OH 45268
(513) 569-7301
Hazardous Waste Engineering
Research Laboratory
Cincinnati, OH 45268
(513) 569-7418
Releases Control Branch
Woodbridge Avenue
Edison, NJ 08837
(201)321-6635
Water Engineering Research
Laboratory
Cincinnati, OH 45268
(513) 569-7951
Robert S. Kerr Environmental
Research Laboratory
PO Box 1198
Ada, OK 74820
(405) 332-8800
Environmental Research
Laboratory
6201 Congdon Boulevard
Duluth, MN 55804
(218) 720-5550
Large Lakes Research Station
9311 Groh Road
Grosse lie. Ml 48138
(313) 675-5000
Monticello Environmental
Research Station
P.O. Box 500
Monticello, MN 55362
(612) 295-5145
Environmental Monitoring
Systems Laboratory
P.O. Box 15027
Las Vegas, NV89114
(702)798-2100
Environmental Photographic
Interpretation Center
Vint Hill Farms Station
P.O. Box 1587, Building 166
Warrenton, VA22186
(703) 347-6224
Environmental Research
Laboratory
200 SW 35th Street
Corvallis, OR 97333
(503) 757-4601
Other EPA Research Facilities:
Analytical Chemistry Laboratory
Building 402, ARC East
Beltsville, MD 20705
(301) 344-2187
Eastern Environmental Radiation
Facilities
1908 Federal Drive
PO Box 3009
Montgomery, AL 36193
(205) 272-3402
Environmental Chemistry
Laboratory
Building 1105
NSTL, MS 39529
(601)688-3212
Center for Environmental
Research Information
Cincinnati, OH 45268
(513) 569-7391
National Enforcement
Investigations Center
Building 53, Box 25227
Denver, CO 80225
(303) 236-5100
Manchester Laboratory
PO Box 549
Manchester, WA 98353
(206) 442-0370
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