The goal of EPA is to improve existing environmental situation and to ensure that the government, industries and the public will take care of the environment and support the natural balance for the next generations (Hill, 2010). The responsibilities of EPA include dealing with the issues of water an air pollution in particular. Common strategies for improving the situation with air pollution include enforcement of legal regulations, sanctions and fines. The major act regulating air pollution is Clear Air Act (Hill, 2010). Identification of toxic air pollutants and enforcement of national emission standards for hazardous pollutants are an effective strategy. Acid Rain program, for example, regulates the requirements and operating permits aimed at reducing emissions of carbon dioxide (Hill, 2010). Monitoring of pollutant concentration and encouraging industries and individuals to use environment-friendly equipment is another important strategy of EPA.
Strategic EPA goals related to the issues of water pollution include establishing of clean water standards, protection of water infrastructure and sources of water, improvement of the quality of drinking water in community water systems which do not yet comply with the national standards (Hill, 2010). Regular monitoring of water sources and reporting of their condition is directed towards increasing the quality of water. Among the recently developed EPA goals is protection and restoration of the national source waters (Hill, 2010). Other important actions include reducing pollution form discrete sources and implementing sustainable practices.
EPA has also developed the smart growth strategy which combines plans for further development with maximal environmental results. However, it is possible to recommend three more strategies for EPA to maximize its impact on the society. First of all, mass media should be actively used to increase public awareness of the importance of safe environment and sustainable practices. Secondly, research aimed at determining the consequences of human activities and in-depth analysis of cause-and-effect relationships between environmental and human-imposed issues should be stimulated to allow researchers to view a detailed picture of potential environmental changes. Finally, the EPA should analyze also the economic consequences of environmental regulations and balance between short-term benefits and long-term perspectives.
References
Hill, M.K. (2010). Understanding Environmental Pollution. Cambridge University Press.