A Comprehensive Report on EPA Policy: Pros and Cons Analysis

This report provides an analysis of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) policy, examining its advantages and disadvantages in the context of environmental protection and its impact on various sectors. The report begins with an introduction to the EPA's responsibilities, including enforcing environmental regulations and statutes in the United States, and its implementation through policies and guidance. It then discusses the EPA's role in addressing issues such as air and water pollution, solid and radioactive wastes, and the promotion of environmental education programs. The advantages of the EPA policy are highlighted, such as its contribution to energy allocation, usage, and disposal, and its role in reducing compliance costs through green infrastructural design. The report also addresses the disadvantages, including the potential for increased operational costs, challenges to consumers, and the pressure on businesses. The conclusion emphasizes that while EPA policy may initially lead to higher costs, it ultimately offers long-term benefits, including significant cost savings and the maintenance of societal, individual, and environmental well-being, as evidenced by the phase-out of PCBs.

Running head: ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE- EPA POLICY
ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE- EPA POLICY
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Introduction
The prime responsibility of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to enforce various
regulations and environmental statutes in the United States. The EPA aims at the explicit
enforcement authoritative function in relation to the environmental statutes. EPA policy also
functions through the implementation of policies and guidance with detailed explanations.
The policy was implemented during the year 1970 with the help of the orders from President
Richard Nixon. The agency and the derived policy of the U.S. federal government target the
protection of environmental health and human well-being. The purpose of the paper is to
present the advantages and disadvantages of applying the EPA policy for the functional areas
of the U.S.
Discussion
EPA policies are appointed in the United States with the support of governmental,
deputy administrator, inspector general, general counsel and Senate. EPA operates by
fulfilling its duty or responsibility on responding to the quality of drinking water, pesticides,
noise pollution, solid wastes, radioactive wastes, air pollution and water pollution. The
environmental statutes involve the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, The Comprehensive
Environmental Response and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). EPA is
a major contributor in regulating the presence of pollutants in any medium of the earth
(Nationalgeographic.com). The contribution of EPA policy extends to the promotion of
public environmental education programs.
The EPA policy has reconstructed the whole system of energy allocation, usage, and
disposal in the United States, especially in the utility companies. The motive and contribution
in building the knowledge of ‘Reusing and Reducing’ has positively impacted the operations
of the utility companies. This approach helps in preventing the causes of pollution, saves
energy, and helps in sustaining the environment with increasing demand and population.

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‘Reducing and Reusing’ approach of EPA policy also helps in reducing the rate of recycling
or disposals, allowing the energy generated from the utility companies to harvest the
resources to the fullest.
EPA has contributed majorly by reducing the compliance costs through the
reconstruction of green and energy-saving infrastructural design targeted towards the utility
companies. The sustainable approach of EPA policies has also contributed to environmental
justice and in designing liveable communities in the United States (Forbes.com).
Moreover, the EPA policy was praised by the electric utility groups for regulating the
usage of coal-fired plants in the response to the emissions, which acted as an advocate for
climate change (US EPA. N.p). The policy proposed by the EPA in regards to utilities
positively contributes to a green operational process and helps in accomplishing the standards
for operating under an environment.
In spite of the positive influences of EPA policy on the environment, the impact of
EPA on the economic environment and societal growth may not be positive. The
implementation of EPA policy on the power plants has increased the costs of operation by
reconstructing the equipment and standard infrastructure for the motive of saving energy
(EPA.gov). The practice of regulating through reconstruction leads to the unwanted outcome
of imposing challenges to the consumers or society, with an increased rate, causes layoffs and
even plant closures (Stephens and Corsi). The EPA policy has also imposed pressure on the
businesses, which resulted in shifting decisions to a more accommodating region.
Nevertheless, the decisions that emerged from the policy of EPA have exerted a
positive influence in the long run. It can be understood from the evidence of the phase-out of
Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB). The replacement of the equipment and infrastructure
designed for PCB was a challenge but the decades-old equipment did not hurt the expenses or
revenue of the companies, which implies the long-term benefits of the EPA.

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Conclusion
Therefore, it can be concluded from the paper that EPA policy may seem to stimulate
higher costs and expenses for both the companies and the consumers but in the end, it
possesses positive long-term success with a significant rate of cost savings and maintenance
of society, individual and environmental well-being.

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References:
"5 Reasons To Like The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency." Nationalgeographic.com
N.p., 2020. Web. 5 Feb. 2016.
"EPA Clean Power Plan May Do More Harm Than Good." Forbes.com N.p., 2020. Web. 5
Feb. 2020.
"Utilities And Power Generation Sector Information | US EPA." US EPA. N.p., EPA.gov
2020. Web. 5 Feb. 2020.
Stephens, Brent, and Richard Corsi. "Cutting EPA indoor air pollution research will cost
money and lives." Planet Texas 2050-News Stories (2019).