IN 1970, PRESIDENT Richard Nixon established the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of an executive reorganization plan. William Ruck-elshaus served as the first administrator, which is the title of the head of the EPA. The mission of the EPA is to protect human health and the environment. Because global warming and climate change can have effects on both human health and the environment, they are encompassed as part of EPAs mission.

Structure and Mission

The vigor in which EPA pursues climate change research and policy recommendations is usually dependent upon how sympathetic the presidential administration is to such policies. In 2005, the EPA faced some criticism after a former oil lobbyist influenced reports about climate change. Since then, the agency has taken a closer look ...

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