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?

Water pollution is the chosen agent of environmental damage. The United States Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are responsible for the primary regulation. It is the responsibility of the EPA to set standards regarding how much a particular contaminant may be in drinking water and also enforce regulations protecting human health. USDA guidelines are produced to help minimize contamination of water by agricultural practices, while the CDC makes recommendations based on research regarding health risks associated with polluted water.

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.