The Role and Responsibilities of the Environmental Protection Agency

The video explains the role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an independent federal agency responsible for administering environmental laws. It highlights the collaboration between the EPA and state governments, emphasizing the combination of federal and state laws. The EPA's functions include creating regulations, conducting assessments, and enforcing standards. It can levy fines, negotiate settlements, and pursue judicial actions, sometimes in collaboration with the Department of Justice, to enforce environmental laws and impose criminal sanctions.

What is the primary responsibility of the EPA?

• Administering federal Environmental Protection laws

• Administering state laws

• Creating state laws

• Overseeing international environmental policies

How does the EPA collaborate with state governments?

• By enforcing only federal laws

• By ignoring state laws

• By creating international treaties

• By working with state agencies to regulate environmental protection

Which of the following is NOT an activity conducted by the EPA?

• Acting in an executive role for enforcing regulations

• Creating international environmental policies

• Researching environmental issues

• Conducting environmental assessments

What actions can the EPA take against violators of environmental laws?

• Only issue warnings

• Ignore the violations

• Create new laws

• Levy fines and negotiate settlements

In what situation might the EPA work with the Department of Justice?

• To research environmental issues

• To bring forward criminal sanctions for violations

• To create new environmental laws

• To conduct environmental assessments