Blog Post 5: Environmental Protection Agency

Within this blog post, I wanted to make my reader aware of an important government sponsored site, the United States Environmental Protection Agency or EPA. Their motto is “40 years of protecting health and the environment.”

This site easily gives readers ways to learn about various issues through tabs such as Learn the Issues, Science and Technology, Laws and Regulations, About EPA, and Newsroom. The site also includes a search box and an A-Z index. Besides just the basic internet site accessed through a computer, the EPA offers mobile apps for EPA Today, Apps, Connect through twitter, facebook and other social networking sites, and Environmental tips.

¿No hablo ingles? [You don’t speak English?] No problem! The EPA offers their site in Spanish, traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean.

Readers, I’m sure that if you have been following this blog that you are concerned about what you can do locally to help the environment. Well the EPA has suggestions for you athttp://www.epa.gov/epahome/acting.htm.


How the EPA is working in West Virginia:

COAL MINING

MOUNTAIN TOP MINING

COAL WASTE IMPOUNDMENTS

NATURAL GAS EXTRATION

CHESAPEAKE BAY

CARBON SEQUESTRATION


Interested in finding information about the state you’re from? Click here then click on your state on the map.

The Seven Priorities for the EPA in the future include:
1.Taking action on climate change

2.Improving air quality-“American communities face serious health and environmental challenges from air pollution. We have already proposed stronger ambient air quality standards for ozone, which will help millions of American breathe easier and live healthier. Building on that, EPA will develop a comprehensive strategy for a cleaner and more efficient power sector, with strong but achievable emission reduction goals for SO2, NOx, mercury and other air toxics. We will strengthen our ambient air quality standards for pollutants such as PM, SO2 and NO2 and will achieve additional reductions in air toxics from a range of industrial facilities. Improved monitoring, permitting and enforcement will be critical building blocks for air quality improvement.”

3.Assuring the safety of chemicals

4.Cleaning up our communities

5.Protecting America’s waters- “America’s waterbodies are imperiled as never before. Water quality and enforcement programs face complex challenges, from nutrient loadings and stormwater runoff, to invasive species and drinking water contaminants. These challenges demand both traditional and innovative strategies. We will continue comprehensive watershed protection programs for the Chesapeake Bay and Great Lakes. We will initiate measures to address post-construction runoff, water quality impairment from surface mining, and stronger drinking water protection. Recovery Act funding will expand construction of water infrastructure, and we will work with states to develop nutrient limits and launch an Urban Waters initiative. We will also revamp enforcement strategies to achieve greater compliance across the board.”

6.Expanding the Conversation on Environmentalism and working for Environmental Justice

7.Building strong state and tribal partnerships