US Environmental Protection Agency, 1977-1980 EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a US federal agency specializing in environmental protection. Established in 1970 by President Nixon, initially, the EPA was a technical agency that set goals and standards for the public and private sectors. However, pressure from the government and the public, as well as a shared passion for environmental protection has driven the EPA to adopt a more rigorous and proactive stance against environmental damage. This year, the topic of EPA will be focused on determining the priority of the agency in addressing widespread contamination as well as worsening air pollution across the country.

Topic A: Amending the Clean Air Act of 1970

The year is 1977. One of the earliest acts enacted by the EPA, the Clean Air Act of 1970 is becoming outdated. The new administrator of the agency, Russell E. Train, decided it was important for both the agency and the nation to move forward in guaranteeing clean air for the population, culminating in EPA efforts to amend the Clean Air Act of 1970 to further strengthen regulatory efforts. Delegates will debate over means to ensure all the states can obtain and maintain National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), and properly develop state implementation plans (SIPs) adapted to the specific industrial presence and focus in each state.

Topic B: Superfund, 1980

Following rapid economic and industrial growth, as well as worldwide adoption of the “pollute first, clean-up later” ideology developed from the theories of economist Simon Kuznets, corporations have neglected the processing of hazardous waste involved in mass manufacturing. As a result, sites across the countries are heavily contaminated – the most infamous of which are the Love Canal at Niagara Falls, NY, and the Valley of the Drums in Bullitt County, KY. Thousands of barrels of chemical wastes have rusted through and leaked contaminants into soil and groundwater. Delegates will attempt to conduct investigations into the culprits behind these polluted sites, provide viable means to clean up the sites, as well as propose probable sources of funding for Congress to review.