Environmental Protection Agency

The Environmental Protection Agency is the federal agency responsible for protecting human health and the environment. It writes and enforces rules under national environmental laws covering air, water, chemicals, and waste, and it works with states, tribes, and local governments that carry out many of those laws on the ground.

People usually ask how the agency sets standards for clean air and drinking water, how it responds to pollution and cleanup sites, and what role it plays in federal projects. They also ask how its powers are limited by Congress and the courts, and how it differs from state environmental agencies.