Primary Contacts
Mary McKiel, Ph.D.
U.S. Standards Executive
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
MC7101M
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: 202.564.0532
Fax: 202.564.0529
Website: http://www.epa.gov
General Overview of Agency Activities
EPA leads the nation's environmental science, research, education and assessment efforts. The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and the environment. Since 1970, EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people.
Overview of Regulatory Activities
EPA is authorized by Congress to write and enforce regulations that elaborate details necessary for implementing laws to protect the environment and public health. Its regulations cover a range of environmental and public health protection issues, from setting standards for clean water to specifying cleanup levels for toxic waste sites to controlling air pollution from industry and other sources.
 Access EPA’s Laws, Regulations, Guidance, and Dockets Homepage for an in-depth overview of EPA’s involvement in the regulatory process.
Access a list of laws that the EPA plays a role in administering, either in whole or in part.
EPA also oversees several non-regulatory programs, including:
Energy Star – A joint program by EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy that offers incentives for manufacturers and businesses to utilize energy efficient products and practices.
Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) - A system to help purchasers evaluate, compare and select electronic products based on their environmental attributes. The system currently covers desktop and laptop computers, workstations and computer monitors.
Standards Used in Regulation and Procurement
EPA has incorporated into its technical regulations and recognizes voluntary consensus standards developed by the following organizations:
This list may be incomplete and only attempts to name some of the standards developing organizations from which EPA has incorporated standards.
EPA recognizes a variety of conformity assessment approaches on a sector-by-sector basis. For more information, visit the following FDA resources:
Access EPA Compliance Assistance for information on how to comply
with regulatory requirements.
Quick Links
International Contacts by Region
Africa
Jane Metcalfe
Senior Advisor, Africa
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of International Affairs
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: +1 202 564 6600
Email: [email protected]
Region-Specific Webpage:
http://www.epa.gov/international/regions/Africa/index.html
Under the Sub-Saharan Africa Program, EPA focuses on urban and industrial pollution issues as they impact people’s health, particularly vulnerable populations such as children and the poor. Now is a critical time in Africa’s development to address these pollution issues. With support from US AID and the US State Department, EPA is implementing projects to enable governments, universities, industry, non-governmental organizations and others to begin to address growing pollution issues and their consequent impacts on people’s health.
EPA is a leader in building capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa on urban air quality management, based on the pilot work conducted in South Africa, Ghana and Tanzania. This work includes establishing air quality monitoring systems, and institutionalizing air quality training courses developed by EPA and tailored for the region.
As a key partner within the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles , EPA was involved in providing support to Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in phasing out of leaded gasoline which occurred throughout the region in January 2006.
Building on this success, EPA is working through the Partnership to support Sub-Saharan African countries to lower sulfur in fuels. Currently in SSA sulfur levels range between 3,000 to 10,000 ppm which, particularly in diesel fuel, results in the emission of high levels of fine particulates which can be inhaled deep into the lungs causing cardiovascular and respiratory disease.
SSA countries have now committed to reducing sulfur levels ultimately to 50 ppm, while at the same time promoting the use of vehicle emission technology. EPA is assisting in the effort by providing funding, technical and policy advice and public outreach information to achieve this ultimate goal.
EPA is working in Senegal to reduce the use and release of mercury in the artisanal gold mining sector, under the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Global Mercury Partnerships program. The approximately 10,000 artisanal miners in Senegal use mercury to amalgamate fine gold particles; this mercury is then burned off, resulting in significant exposures via inhalation to miners and their families. The next phase will focus on replicating this program in the eight other West African countries with similar artisanal mining practices.
Under the Partnership for Clean Indoor Air (PCIA), EPA is working to reduce the negative health impacts of indoor air pollution for the more than 75% of Africans who burn wood, charcoal, dung, crop residue and coal for their home cooking and (in some places) heating. The EPA is managing pilot projects in Mauritania, Nigeria, and Uganda that are jointly funded by the USAID and EPA.
Americas
Cam Hill-Macon
Senior Advisor, Latin America/Caribbean Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of International Affairs
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: 1.202.564.6600
Email: [email protected]
Sylvia Correa
Senior Advisor, North America Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of International Affairs
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: 1.202.564.6600
Email: [email protected]
Region-Specific Webpage:
http://www.epa.gov/international/regions/sa/index.html
EPA programs and activities in South America, Central America and the Caribbean support the work of
our partners to build healthy communities by strengthening their capacity to implement environmental laws and programs,
advance greater use of economic incentives, and promote stakeholder involvement in environmental decision-making.
These programs also support implementation of environmental cooperation mechanisms associated with Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).
These mechanisms help build the sustainable development capacity of U.S. trading partners by promoting cooperation on the effective
development and enforcement of environmental law, policies and programs; public participation and transparency in environmental
decision making; and improved performance of the private sector.
Asia Pacific
Mark Kasman
Senior Advisor, Asia Pacific
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of International Affairs
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: +1 202 564 6600
Email: [email protected]
Region-Specific Webpage:
http://www.epa.gov/international/regions/Asia/index.html
EPA’s current work in Asia focuses on China and India. Our efforts are reducing air pollution, improving water quality, reducing greenhouse gases, and mitigating the threats posed by mercury and other toxic substances. We also have more limited partnerships in the Asia/Pacific region in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and the Pacific Islands.
EPA has a longstanding relationship with Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, under the U.S.- Japan Agreement on Cooperation in Environmental Protection.
EPA's Pacific Islands Office manages EPA's involvement and activities in the Pacific Insular areas: the U.S. flag areas of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and Guam; and the freely associated states (FAS) of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and the Republic of Palau.
EPA also has environmental agreements with Taiwan and Thailand:
- U.S.-Taiwan Bilateral Agreement on Environmental Protection
- U.S.-Thailand Agreement in the Area of Environmental Protection
China
Mark Kasman
Senior Advisor, Asia Pacific
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of International Affairs
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: +1 202 564 6600
Email: [email protected]
Region-Specific Webpage:
http://www.epa.gov/international/regions/Asia/index.html
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been collaborating with its counterpart, China's Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), now Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP), on environmental issues for over two decades.
In December of 2003, EPA and SEPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), providing a forum for EPA and SEPA to take a more strategic approach to our extensive cooperation. EPA cooperation with China is now implemented under the Memorandum with the Ministry of Environmental Protection (formerly the State Environmental Protection Administration).
Under the Clean Air and Energy Strategy, EPA and SEPA are working together on Air and Climate Programs in China, to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases (GHG). The Strategy focuses on strengthening regional coordination of clean air and energy management in key regions of China and addressing priority sectors affecting air, environment, and public health (initially, the power and transportation sectors).
At the second meeting of the U.S.-Sino Joint Committee on Environmental Cooperation (held in Beijing on December 14, 2007), EPA and SEPA identified priorities for cooperation for 2008-09. (Read the joint statement released at the first meeting of the U.S.-Sino Joint Committee on Environmental Cooperation).
Europe
Jane Metcalfe
Senior Advisor, Africa
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of International Affairs
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: +1 202 564 6600
Email: [email protected]
Regional URL:
http://www.epa.gov/international/regions/Europe/index.html
The United States and the industrialized nations of Europe often face similar social, political and economic problems arising from environmental degradation, making the U.S. and its European counterparts natural partners.
The United States works with our European partners bilateraly, with the European Union, and in multilateral fora such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations. EPA's relationship with Europe is of great importance in improving our scientific and technological capabilities for environmental protection.
EPA's cooperation with Europe has yielded substantial results, including cost-savings from sharing information and working together to improve environmental management. U.S. consultations with European officials also help U.S. industry avoid potential trade difficulties arising from different environmental standards and regulations. Cooperation among industrialized nations can build consensus on environmental issues and, eventually, lead to a cleaner environment for everyone.
The Office of International Affairs (OIA) is the focal point within the EPA for coordinating cooperative activities with Europe. Key activities with Europe currently include:
- coordination on global environmental issues such as climate change, chemicals management, and energy policy;
- coordination on technical assistance to other regions of the world;
- promoting joint research and scientific activities with European institutions.
India
Mark Kasman
Senior Advisor, Asia Pacific
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of International Affairs
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: +1 202 564 6600
Email: [email protected]
Regional URL:
http://www.epa.gov/international/regions/Asia/index.html
While EPA activities in India date to the early 1980s, EPA’s program of environmental collaboration with India has expanded since 2000, with a Presidential visit to India that year. In November 2001, a Joint Statement was issued on the occasion of the India’s Prime Minister’s meeting with the President at the White House that established an Environment Track as a new component of the U.S.-India Economic Dialogue.
EPA is partnering with India on projects related to:
- air quality
- climate change
- water quality
- environmental governance
Middle East
Jane Metcalfe
Senior Advisor, Africa
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of International Affairs
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: +1 202 564 6600
Email: [email protected]
Regional URL:
http://www.epa.gov/international/regions/Mideast/index.html
The Middle East accounts for five percent of the world’s population and one percent of the world’s water. Much of EPA’s current work in the Middle East is made up of two key programs:
- Bilateral environmental capacity building program with Jordan
- Environmental technical assistance to 11 countries in North Africa and the Middle East as part of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI)
Programs and activities with these countries vary since each has its own environmental problems, priorities and relationship. Some of our efforts include capacity building, solid waste management, Pollution Prevention/P2 cleaner production, coastal management protection, clean fuels and vehicles, and water security.
In addition, EPA has agreements with Israel on Science and Technology and Water Security.
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