The '''Environmental Protection Agency''' ('''EPA''') is an independent agency of the U.S. government to protect the natural resources (e.g., air, water and land) and endangered species. It was created by President [[Richard Nixon]] in 1970 and is part of the executive branch of the government.<ref>It was not created by act of Congress. [http://www.epa.gov/history/publications/origins6.htm Origins of the EPA: An Agency For The Environment]</ref> EPA reports directly to the president. The primary mission of the EPA is to protect human health and safeguard the natural environment (air, water and land) of the nation. The EPA was established at atime of new awareness of the environment, with the goal of combing into a single agency many of the existing federal government activities of research and development, monitoring, setting of standards, compliance and enforcement related to protection of the environment. | The '''Environmental Protection Agency''' ('''EPA''') is an independent agency of the U.S. government to protect the natural resources (e.g., air, water and land) and endangered species. It was created by President [[Richard Nixon]] in 1970 and is part of the executive branch of the government.<ref>It was not created by act of Congress. [http://www.epa.gov/history/publications/origins6.htm Origins of the EPA: An Agency For The Environment]</ref> EPA reports directly to the president. The primary mission of the EPA is to protect human health and safeguard the natural environment (air, water and land) of the nation. The EPA was established at atime of new awareness of the environment, with the goal of combing into a single agency many of the existing federal government activities of research and development, monitoring, setting of standards, compliance and enforcement related to protection of the environment. |