| Sustainability at EPA: Past, Present, and Future |
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Table 1. US EPA Administrators
US EPA: 1970-2006 Collaborating with the Regulated Community. During the late 1980s, EPA began consulting with industry while formulating regulations. Bill Reilly observed that "regulatory negotiations are extremely productive at getting a result that works for everybody" and emphasized the need to listen to industry, whose leaders "often have a better, more intimate grasp of how to achieve [environmental goals]." In the 1990s, EPA also began working with the regulated community to find voluntary ways to go beyond mandated standards. EPA began encouraging more public and private organizations to adopt environmental management systems (EMS), which can advance sustainability by creating a structured and systematic approach for improving overall environmental performance and stewardship. The Agency also initiated efforts to build partnerships with the regulated community; by 2006 it had over 80 voluntary partnership programs. Assessing Risk. In the early 1980s, Bill Ruckelshaus in 1983 noted the need for change: "A climate of fear now dominates the discussion of environmental issues. The scientific community can help alleviate this fear by making a greater effort to explain to the public the uncertainties involved in estimates of risk." Risk assessment gradually gained importance as advanced technologies enabled improved detection of chemicals, and EPA found itself needing to prioritize among a growing set of responsibilities. Protecting Natural Systems. When EPA was created, President Richard Nixon called for an agency that would "make a coordinated attack on the pollutants which debase the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land that grows our food." In 1980 Russ Train reminded EPA to "never forget that a healthy environment and the continued healthy functioning of the natural systems of the Earth are the foundations upon which all human activity, progress, and welfare must ultimately depend." In the early 1990s, Bill Reilly saw an overriding need to "stabilize and protect the life support systems of the planet itself." EPA programs have continued to focus on ecosystem protection and ecological services, taking a more holistic view of environmental problems, applying place-based approaches, and focusing on watersheds. Access to the full article is free, but requires you to register. Registration is simple and quick – all we need is your name and a valid e-mail address. We appreciate your interest in bridges. |
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