December 2nd will mark the 40th anniversary of President Nixon’s reorganization of environmental programs into a single agency at EPA.  Although there is perhaps more griping about EPA than any other government agency, we would suggest that it might also be one of the most successful. ... Seriously, the list of accomplishments of EPA over the past 40 years is impressive. Lead has been removed from gasoline, acid removed from rain, CFCs removed from our ozone layer, and DDT removed from our landscape. Pollution from smokestacks and tailpipes has been reduced dramatically. Hundreds of toxic waste sites have been cleaned up and made safe. And streams, lakes and rivers cleaned up and made fishable and swimmable/Terry Harris, KEA Blog. More here.

Question: Do you consider the EPA to be one of the most successful federal agencies? Or one of the most bothersome agencies?