Which federal agency was created to protect human health and the environment?

• A. Department of Health and Human Services
• B. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• C. National Science Foundation
• D. Department of the Interior

Answer: (B)

Environmental Protection Agency is the federal agency charged with safeguarding both human health and the environment. It was created in 1970 to bring together various environmental programs under one agency and to set and enforce standards for air and water quality, hazardous waste, and the safety of chemicals. This centralized focus on regulating pollutants and overseeing cleanup directly links environmental quality to public health, which is why it’s the best answer. Other agencies have important roles—for example, Health and Human Services concentrates on public health services and medical programs; the Department of the Interior manages public lands and resources; the National Science Foundation funds research—but they do not carry the same broad environmental regulatory mandate that the EPA does.