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Regional FAQs

Find the most common questions that we get asked. If you don't find the answer that you need in our Common Questions, visit one of the other EPA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) listed on the right. You may also search frequently asked questions or submit your own questions or comments.

How and when was the EPA created?

How can I order EPA publications?

How can I locate the phone numbers and mailing addresses of EPA staff people?

How do I contact EPA where I live?

How do I report a violation of environmental regulations?

How do I report an environmental emergency?

How can I get information on the EPA's budget?

How can I find out about job openings and internships at the EPA?

How can I find out about fellowship grants sponsored by the EPA?

How can I submit an official comment on proposed environmental regulations?

Is it OK for me to link to the EPA Web site from my home page?

How do EPA's rules and policies affect small business?

Submit your suggestions for Common Questions


How and when was the EPA created?

President Nixon declared his intention to establish the Environmental Protection Agency with Reorganization Plan Number 3, dated July 9, 1970. The EPA's mission would include:

"The establishment and enforcement of environmental protection standards consistent with national environmental goals... The conduct of research on the adverse effects of pollution and on methods and equipment for controlling it; the gathering of information on pollution; and the use of this information in strengthening environmental protection programs and recommending policy changes... assisting others, through grants, technical assistance and other means, in arresting pollution of the environment... assisting the Council on Environmental Quality in developing and recommending to the President new policies for the protection of the environment."

After being cleared through hearings in the Senate and House of Representatives, the EPA came into being on December 2, 1970.

Learn more about the beginnings of EPA in "The Guardian: Origins of the EPA," and "The Guardian: EPA's Formative Years, 1970-73." These publications are available on the EPA Web site or from the EPA History Office, 202-566-1472; their email address is history@epa.gov.

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How can I order EPA publications?

Many EPA publications are available free-of-charge from the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP, formerly NCEPI), which is located in Cincinnati, OH. To order publications, call NSCEP toll-free at 1-800-490-9198. To search a catalog of EPA publications, and for further information about EPA publications, visit NSCEP's Web site.

Oral histories can be ordered from the EPA History Office, 202-566-1472; their email address is history@epa.gov.

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How can I locate the phone numbers and mailing addresses of EPA staff people?

EPA's automated Employee Directory contains the telephone numbers of most EPA employees and associated contractors. You can search the locator by the name of the employee. The main mailing address for EPA is:

Environmental Protection Agency
Ariel Rios Bldg
1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20460

To send a letter to a certain person, you would need to add their name, and the appropriate mail code (listed in the Employee Directory) for the employee's office to the above address.

There is also a list of mailing addresses for EPA's regional offices.

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How do I contact EPA where I live?

To contact someone in your geographic region, determine which EPA region your state is in. Each EPA Regional Office is responsible within its states for the execution of the Agency's programs. If you have questions about environmental issues, you may find the answer in the regional FAQ page.

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How do I report a violation of environmental regulations?

State and local governments have responsibility for enforcing most environmental laws in the area where you live. You can locate these government offices through your telephone directory. In most communities, the responsible agency is the city or county health department. At the state level, an environmental agency carries out the pollution control laws, whereas an agriculture agency often handles regulation of pesticides. If these sources can't help you, contact your regional EPA office. For more information on reporting a environmental violation, visit EPA's Concerned Citizens' Environmental Violations page.

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How can I report an environmental emergency?

Environmental emergencies such as oil and chemical spills should be reported immediately to the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802. For more information on environmental emergencies, visit EPA's Concerned Citizens' Environmental Emergencies page.

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How can I get information on the EPA's budget?

EPA produces a summary of the EPA budget each year. The current year's summary is available electronically from the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. Print copies and copies from past years may be available from the EPA Budget Office by calling (202) 564-8340.

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How can I find out about job openings and internships at the EPA?

EPA employs approximately 18,000 people in locations across the country. If you are interested in helping us protect the global environment for this generation and generations to come, we invite you to explore our Employment Information page.

For environmental general employment/career information, please access the "Environmental Careers Resource Guide". This document contains fact sheets concerning different environmental careers, and links to a "Regional Human Resource Offices" page which provides phone numbers and addresses for EPA offices. For the Washington DC area you can call the jobs hotline at 202-564-8111, or call Employee Services at 202-564-0300.

EPA offers several opportunities for internships. You can find information on these opportunities from the Office of Human Resources.

You may also wish to contact your regional EPA office for information about more internship opportunities. If you call the Human Resources phone number at the office to which you would like to apply, the staff member can direct you to offices with summer internship openings.

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How can I find out about fellowship grants sponsored by the EPA?

For information about obtaining a graduate research fellowship grant, we suggest that you contact the EPA National Center for Environmental Research Grants and Fellowship Hotline at 1-800-490-9194. Application information is also available electronically.

Application due dates for the next school year vary from January 15 to February 15.

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How can I submit an official comment on proposed environmental regulations?

Dockets contain Federal Register notices, support documents, and public comments for regulations the Agency publishes and various non-regulatory activities. EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) is an online public docket and comment system designed to expand access to documents in EPA’s major dockets. EDOCKET allows you to search, download and print the documents in a docket, as well as submit comments online.

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Is it OK for me to link to the EPA Web site from my home page?

EPA is happy to have anyone link to our site from personal or organizational Web sites, as long as EPA endorsement or approval is not implied. For the same reason, we do not provide links from our site back to yours.

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How do EPA's rules and policies affect small business?

EPA has many assistance programs for small business and provides information with the small business entrepreneur in mind. The Small Business Gateway offers complete information about regulations and policies that relate to small business.

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