Deutsch: Environmental Protection Agency / Español: Agencia de Protección Ambiental de los Estados Unidos / Português: Agência de Proteção Ambiental dos Estados Unidos / Français: Environmental Protection Agency / Italiano: Agenzia per la Protezione dell'Ambiente
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or USEPA) is one of the agencies of the U.S. federal government.
It was created for the purpose of protecting human health and the environment, by creating and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by the U.S. Congress.
The EPA was established based on a proposal by then-President Richard Nixon, and has been operating since December 2nd, 1970. It is headed by an Administrator, who is appointed by the President, and approved by Congress. Though the EPA is not a Cabinet department, the administrator is normally given cabinet rank. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C., has regional offices for each of it's 10 regions, and 27 laboratories.
Some of the agency's activities include conducting environmental assessment, research and education, and maintaining and enforcing national standards under a variety of environmental laws. It does these activities in consultation with, state, tribal and local governments, and may even delegate permitting, monitoring, and enforcement responsibilities to them. The EPA also works with industries and all levels of government in a wide variety of voluntary pollution prevention and energy conservation programs and efforts.