1. Created by Executive Order in 1970 by President Nixon

-Reorganization Plan #3 of 1970 to consolidate nation's environmental regulatory activities under the jurisdiction of a Federal agency

2. Approved by Congress and created on December 2, 1970

3.Works with 50 State Governments and an estimated 80,000 Local governments to control and prevent pollution

4. Responsible for:

-developing and enforcing regulations under existing environmental laws

-Researching and setting national standards

-Monitoring and enforcing federal compliance

1. Solid & hazardous waste

2. Pesticides

3. Water

4. Drinking water

5. Air

6. Toxins & Radioactive substances

1. Headquarters in Washington DC

2. Employs approximately 7,000

1. Employ approximately 8,000

2. Work includes planning, enforcement, Superfund, lawyers, scientists, engineers

3. Includes Criminal Investigation division

1. Dallas, TX

2. Region 6: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas

1. There are 17 labs and research facilities

-employ approximately 3,000

2. Office of Research & Development (ORD) is located in both Washington DC and Realeigh/Durham, NC

3. North Carolina labs conduct extremely serious and cutting edge research

4. ORD research drives future legislation

1. Laboratory Research

-human chamber studies, biological experiments on mice, etc.

2. Field Research

-forest studies, air studies, Antarctic atmospheric studies

3. Some research is allowed to be conducted only with the consent of Congress.  Scientists often travel all over the world

1. Local Support Lab located in Houston, TX

-Employs approx. 20 people

2. Work consists of analyses for enforcement and Superfund related projects

3. Experiments are not conducted for research

1. Oversees all enforcement actions that must be filed in court

2. Organizes evidence and other documents that must be prepared for litigation purposes

3. Litigation involves protection, use, and development of nations resources and public lands

4. Wildlife protection

5. Native American rights & claims

6. Clean-up of hazardous waste sites

7. Acquisition of Private property for Federal use

8. Defense of environmental challenges to government programs and activities

9. Sets standards for transportation safety

10. Provides funds to plan, construct, and operate transportation systems by rail, highway, air, or water

11. Provides funds for law enforcement and traffic management services for nation's air space and waterways

12. Regulates manufacturers of containers and transporters of hazardous materials

1. Port safety and maritime law enforcement

2. Boating safety

3. Aide to navigation

4. Merchant marine safety

5. Environmental protection

6. Works with EPA on marine protection programs

-Regulates transport of hazardous cargos, oil pollution clean up, and marine salvage

Federal Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA)

1. Provides a federal focus on emergency management in the US

2. Projects Include

-Natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and

technological calamities

-National security crises such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina

3. Works with US EPA on air pollution issues, disposal, etc.

1. Analyzes quantity and quality of surface/ground water and precipitation

2. Conducts research in geology and hydrology

3. Programs include

-Extensive topographic & land-use mapping

-Energy & Mineral resource assessments

-Evaluations of natural disasters

-Evaluations of space exploration

Three Sub-Agencies

1. National Insitute for Occupational Safety & Health (Atlanta, GA)

2. Center for Disease Control (Atlanta, GA)

3. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health

(Sub-Agency of US Department of Health & Human Services)

1. Provides research and evaluation studies of occupational injuries and hazardous substances found in the workplace

2. Develops criteria which are used by OSHA for setting workplace standards

3. EPA partners with workplace standards enforcement & oversight

Centers for Disease Control

(Sub-Agency of US Department of Health & Human Services)

1. Tracks and evaluates incidence of disease

2. Performs epidemiological studies

-Works with EPA on Public Health Issues

-Biorat (Foreign pesticide=Salmonella)

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

 (Sub-Agency of US Department of Health & Human Services)

1. Conducts research focused on Toxic Substances and Effects on Public Health

2. Programs Include:

-Health studies

-Substance-Specific Research

-Maintaining various disease registries

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)

(Part of US Department of Labor)

1. Issues standards and rules for safe and healthful working conditions, tools, equipment, facilities, and processes

2. Employers have a general duty of providing their workers a place of employment free from recognized hazards to safety and health

3. Employers must comply with OSHA standards

4. OSHA conducts workplace inspections to assure standards are followed

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

(Part of US Department of Commerce)

Responsible for:

-Environmental Satellite & Data information

-Oceanic and Atmospheric research

-Sustainable development

-Coastal Management Programs

-The National Weather Service

-National Marine Fisheries Service

1. Works with EPA to prevent and provide response for environmental attacks such as...

-air, water, hazardous/toxic waste, soil, agriculture, economic poisons

2. Created after the 9/11 Terrorist attacks

3. Serves to implement the Homeland Security Act of 2002

4. Unifies the vast network of organizations and institutions involved in efforts to secure our nation

5. Mission is to prevent and deter terrorist attacks, as well as protect and respond to threats and hazards to the nation

1. Mission Statement: Strive and protect our State's human and natural resources consistent with sustainable economic development

2. Budget roughly $510.4 Million

-About 10% comes from Federal Funds

3. Natural resource programs were established in Texas at the beginning of the 20th Century

4. By 1990s, legislation consolidated programs into the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC)

5. In 2000, the Sunset Commission directed a name change

6. Based in Austin, TX

7. Employs approx. 3,000

8. 16 regional offices

9. Oversees State Environmental laws and enforcement

10. Conducts inspection and investigations for state laws and federally delegated programs

11. Sponsors Small Business Assistance Program

12. Permits and Registration

1. Mission Statement: To make Texas the nation's leader in agriculture while providing efficient and extraordinary service

2. Annual Budget = $116.7 Million

3. Agricultural commodities add $14 billion to the Texas economy each year

4. Agribusiness is the 2nd largest in Texas

5. Texas is the nation's 2nd leading state in agricultural prodution

6. 1 in 5 Texans work in some form of Agriculture

7. Established in 1907

8. Administers over 50 laws

-Marketing & regulatory responsibility

-Assisting in development of agribusiness

-Regulates sale and disposal of pesticides

-Controls harmful plant pests and diseases

-Ensures accuracy of weight measurement devices (grocery scales/gas pumps)

9. Conducts inspection and investigations for state laws and federally delegated programs

-EPA's Pesticide Program (FIFRA)

10. Based in Austin, TX

11. 5 Regional offices

12. 3 Satellite offices

14. 7 Labs

15. 6 Livestock export facilities

1. Created in 1915

2. Headquarters in College Station, TX (TAMU)

3. 24 District offices

4. 16 Regional forest resource protection offices

5. 13 Urban Forestry and Pesticide Management Offices

6. 3 Tree nurseries

7. 5 state forest conducting research and BMPs (Best Management Processes)

1. Mission Statement: Partner with the people of Texas to protect, promote, and improve health

2. First state health officer established in 1879

3. Annual budget roughly $1.45 billion

4. Administers 200 programs

5. addresses work under 150 federal/state laws

6. Employs 5,500

7. Headquarters in Austin, TX

8. 8 Regional offices; 2 Hospitals

9. Surveillance, diagnosis, & investigation of diseases, health problems, and threats to human health

10. Promotes health policies & planning

11. Regulates & enforces health laws

12. Improves ability to respond to disasters or disease

1. Generally maintain municipal departments that oversee city ordinances

2. Monitor for state laws (which are often regulated through federally delegated programs)

-water, air, storm water

3. County governments often respond to nuisance cases (i.e. illegal dumping, septic systems)

1. Often serve as Metropolitan Planning Organizations such as Zoning Committees

2. Help facilitate regional plans through local/regional committees

3. Pass-through state / federal grant dollars for transportation and environmental projects

1. Agencies often hire contractors (consulting/ engineering firms and/or universities)

-Ex. develop an Environmental Impact Statement for the Federal Government

-Ex. Conduct planning and feasibility studies for local/state governments

2. Engineering firms often work from municipal contracts

-Building highways

-Public works projects

-Health

-Environment

3. Law Firms & Consulting Experts may be hired by cities to fight state/federal requirements

1. Environmental Defense

2. Sierra Club

3. Locally supported groups such as neighborhood coalitions

4. Review State & Local Plans; implementation of new laws to areas

5. These groups lobby agencies with science or public resentment towards a policy (or both)

-Ex. May oppose the location of a landfill or a permit for an industry with air emissions

1. Associations

-Association of Chemical Industry of Texas

-Industry groups such as timber, steel, airline, paper, landfills, recyclers

2. Particular companies like DuPont, Dow Chemical, TXI, Hunt Oil, or Shell

3. Review State & Local Plans; implementation of new laws to areas

4. These groups lobby agencies with science or industry opposition or support towards a policy

-Ex. May support the location of a landfill or a permit for an industry with air emissions

1. Regardless of the organization, all are part of the regulatory process

2. All have specific interests (hence, all are biased)

-Groups with more $$ often have more influence because more $$ buys more resources to generate a valid position and argument

-Groups with less $$ often misinterpret science because there is not enough $$ to hire quality scientists or policy/law experts

3. Nevertheless, through the public process...

-All groups create a balance

-All groups contribute to a rolling and powerful "environmental industry" that helps create millions of jobs throughout the nation

Constitution Authority

(Article 1, Section 8)

1. Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and exercises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States

2. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes

3. To make ll laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof

Constiution Authority

(Article II, Section 2)

The President shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties...and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors...Consuls,...Judges of the Supereme Court, and all other officers of the United States

Contiution Authority

(Article II, Section 3)

The President shall take care that the Laws be faithfully executed

1. Congress passes Bills

2. President signs Bills into Law

3. Many Administrative Laws are known as Environmental Laws, or Acts (i.e. Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act)

1. Laws the process by which government agencies receive their power

2. Implementation of statutes from Congress

-CAA, RCRA, SDWA, FIFRA, TSCA,CERCLA...

      *Laws are the methods by which                      Agencies exercise their powers

3. Laws can also be mobilized, demobilized, directed, overturned, circumvented (usually through judicial review)

1. Statues (acts) transfer the authority to exercise power to Department Heads

(i.e. EPA administrator)

2. "Delegations" transfer the authority to exercise power to Regional Administrators.  Within EPA...

-Credentials represent the delegation of authority from Administers to exercise the power to inspect all laws administered by the EPA

Constitution: The legal right to make and administer all laws comes from the Constitution. How Congress will exercise its authority to provide for the common good and to regulate commerce is defined within the laws it passes

Statutes: All statutes passed by congress must conform to the rights and authorities