3.3: Formation of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA)
Read this article, which details early environmental conservation efforts in the United States, and discusses the events surrounding the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970. As you read about these events, attempt to understand why environmental protection emerged so strongly as a political issue during this time. What do you think were the major forces or beliefs driving these changes? Might the advances in scientific understanding have been a key catalyst for change? You may find it useful to make notes in this section to refer to when we talk about U.S. environmental law later in Unit 5.