Examine the regulatory agencies related to your chosen environmental agent? What is the role of these agencies? Discuss the environmental standards related to your chosen agent?

The primary regulatory agencies related to my chosen environmental agent, water pollution, are the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The EPA is responsible for setting standards on how much of a certain contaminant can be present in drinking water as well as enforcing regulations that protect human health and ecosystems. The USDA produces guidelines around safe agricultural practices to minimize water contamination while the CDC develops research-based recommendations regarding public health concerns connected with exposure to polluted waters.

The environmental standards related to this particular agent vary depending on which local or federal agency has jurisdiction; however, some common ones include limits on agricultural runoff so that nutrients or pesticides don’t enter bodies of water; restrictions on industrial wastewater discharge; requirements for adequate sewage treatment infrastructure; or prohibitions against dumping hazardous materials into waterways. Overall—the aim of these rules is ultimately to keep our waters clean and safe from pollutants—thus helping ensure healthier communities both now and in the future.