In the 1960s, there was widespread and continuously growing concern across the country about environmental pollution. Some of the concerns arose on the back of heightened awareness due to passionate appeals by many environmental protection champions of the era, such as Rachel Carson. Some of the American public’s concerns focused on the increasing levels of water pollution with dire consequences. For instance, in Ohio, the Cuyahoga River burst into flames due to high levels of chemical contaminants in the water (EPA, 2020). Additionally, water pollution, especially the oil spillage that left beaches in California covered in tonnes of oil, sparked further outrage. The slew of environmental disasters across the country fueled the outrage (EPA, 2020).
The concerns of the public caused action by President Nixon to address Congress and set in motion a chain of events that led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). President Nixon requested additional funding from Congress to be channeled toward the creation and maintenance of formal standards for environmental protection in his address to Congress. These funds would be used for government research into environmental protection (EPA, 2020). Furthermore, the President proposed a clean up of all government facilities to reduce pollution, tax lead additives in gasoline, and end all dumping of waste in the Great Lakes. Finally, he called for a National Contingency Plan to treat oil spills and regulate oil transport over water (EPA, 2020).
The Executive Council set up by President Nixon proposed the creation of an Environmental Protection Agency, the EPA, to conduct research on important pollutants and continuously monitor the environment (EPA, 2020). The agency was also tasked with developing standards for air and water quality and other baselines against which environmental protection efforts can be assessed (EPA, 2020). The agency was also responsible for guiding the development of state and local protection efforts through funding and offering expertise. Congress approved the proposals of the Executive Council, and the EPA was created. The first administrator of the agency was William Ruckelshaus, who took office on December 4, 1970.
EPA. (2020). The Origins of EPA. EPA. https://www.epa.gov/history/origins-epa