Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland)

Last updated

Environmental Protection Agency
An Ghníomhaireacht um Chaomhnú Comhshaoil
Irish EPA Logo.jpg
Agency overview
Formed1993 (1993)
Jurisdiction Government of Ireland
Headquarters Johnstown Castle, Wexford, Y35 W821, Ireland
52°17′45″N6°30′05″W / 52.295915°N 6.501418°W / 52.295915; -6.501418 Coordinates: 52°17′45″N6°30′05″W / 52.295915°N 6.501418°W / 52.295915; -6.501418
Employees350+ [1]
Annual budget€72.85 million (2018)
Agency executive
  • Laura Burke,
    (Director General)
Website www.epa.ie

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for protecting and improving the environment as a valuable asset for the people of Ireland. It operates independently under the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. [2]

Contents

History

The EPA was founded in 1993, following the enactment of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992. [3] [4] In 2014, it merged with the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, which was itself founded in 1992. [5] [6] The present-day EPA continues the activities of both groups. [7]

Organisation

The EPA operates independently under the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. [2] It is led by an advisory committee headed by a director general. The current director general, Laura Burke, was appointed in 2011. [8]

Offices

There are five offices which answer to the advisory committee. [9]

Sites

The EPA operates from a number of sites across Ireland. The Headquarters are located in Johnstown Castle Estate, County Wexford.

Additional offices are located in: [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental law</span> Branch of law concerning the natural environment

Environmental laws are laws that protect the environment. This includes environmental regulations; laws governing management of natural resources, such as forests, minerals, or fisheries; and related topics such as environmental impact assessments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Environmental Protection Agency</span> U.S. federal government agency

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it began operation on December 2, 1970, after Nixon signed an executive order. The order establishing the EPA was ratified by committee hearings in the House and Senate. The agency is led by its administrator, who is appointed by the president and approved by the Senate. The current administrator is Michael S. Regan. The EPA is not a Cabinet department, but the administrator is normally given cabinet rank. The EPA has its headquarters in Washington, D.C., regional offices for each of the agency's ten regions, and 27 laboratories. The agency conducts environmental assessment, research, and education. It has the responsibility of maintaining and enforcing national standards under a variety of environmental laws, in consultation with state, tribal, and local governments. It delegates some permitting, monitoring, and enforcement responsibility to U.S. states and the federally recognized tribes. EPA enforcement powers include fines, sanctions, and other measures. The agency also works with industries and all levels of government in a wide variety of voluntary pollution prevention programs and energy conservation efforts. The agency's budgeted employee level in 2023 is 16,204.1 full-time equivalent (FTE). More than half of EPA's employees are engineers, scientists, and environmental protection specialists; other employees include legal, public affairs, financial, and information technologists. Many public health and environmental groups advocate for the agency and believe that it is creating a better world. Other critics believe that the agency commits government overreach by adding unnecessary regulations on business and property owners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conservation in the Republic of Ireland</span>

Conservation in the Republic of Ireland is overseen by a number of statutory and non-governmental agencies, including those with responsibility for conservation of the built environment and conservation of the natural environment in Ireland. Conservation has sometimes been a contentious issue, with debates impacting its progress since the 1960s. Concrete initiatives are sometimes driven by European Union (EU) heritage protection and environmental policies, including EU environmental law, which – as a member – the Irish government is obliged to adopt and implement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental protection</span> Practice of protecting the natural environment

Environmental protection is the practice of protecting the natural environment by individuals, groups and governments. Its objectives are to conserve natural resources and the existing natural environment and, where possible, to repair damage and reverse trends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency</span> Federal governmental agency within the United States

The administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency is the head of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and is thus responsible for enforcing the nation's Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, as well as numerous other environmental statutes. The administrator is nominated by the president of the United States and must be confirmed by a vote of the Senate.

The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII), An Institiúid Éireannach um Chosaint Raideolaíoch, was an independent public body in Ireland under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. The RPII was established in 1992 under the Radiological Protection Act 1991, which conferred on the RPII a broad remit in relation to radiological protection in Ireland. The RPII was merged with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in August 2014, as part of the Irish Government's Public Sector Reform Plan. RPII's functions are now carried out by the Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring within the EPA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental impact assessment</span> Assessment of the environmental consequences of a decision before action

Environmental Impact assessment (EIA) is the assessment of the environmental consequences of a plan, policy, program, or actual projects prior to the decision to move forward with the proposed action. In this context, the term "environmental impact assessment" is usually used when applied to actual projects by individuals or companies and the term "strategic environmental assessment" (SEA) applies to policies, plans and programmes most often proposed by organs of state. It is a tool of environmental management forming a part of project approval and decision-making. Environmental assessments may be governed by rules of administrative procedure regarding public participation and documentation of decision making, and may be subject to judicial review.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Office of Environment & Heritage</span> Government department in New South Wales, Australia

The New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), a former division of the Government of New South Wales between April 2011 and July 2019, was responsible for the care and protection of the environment and heritage, which includes the natural environment, Aboriginal country, culture and heritage, and built heritage in New South Wales, Australia. The OEH supported the community, business and government in protecting, strengthening and making the most of a healthy environment and economy within the state. The OEH was part of the Department of Planning and Environment cluster and managed national parks and reserves.

Fallout is a RTÉ two-part fictional, doom laden, docudrama. It deals with the nuclear fallout following a hypothetical disaster in the Sellafield Nuclear Reprocessing Plant in Cumbria on the British coast of the Irish Sea. The docu-drama suggests that, due to a changing wind direction, Ireland would bear the brunt of the British accident. The docu-drama was based on the false premise, that such an accident as depicted in the drama could happen and that parts of Ireland would need to be evacuated following a serious accident at Sellafield. Dr Ann McGarry, chief executive of the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, said: "The scenario envisaged in the programme is not realistic and grossly exaggerates the amount of radioactivity that could reach Ireland. The RPII cannot envisage any realistic scenario that would cause the radiation levels in Ireland to reach the concentrations as what was depicted in the drama". Following the dramatized accident, the docu-drama depicts Irish evacuation riots, societal collapse and widespread health impacts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Commission on Environmental Quality</span> Environmental agency of the state of Texas

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is the environmental agency for the state of Texas. The commission's headquarters are located at 12100 Park 35 Circle in Austin. The fourth-largest environmental agency in the United States, it employs about 2,780 employees, has 16 regional offices, and has a $420 million operating budget for the 2016 fiscal year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970</span> US presidential directive

Reorganization Plan No. 3 was a United States presidential directive establishing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), effective December 2, 1970. The order, published in the Federal Register on October 6, 1970, consolidated components from different federal agencies to form the EPA, "a strong, independent agency" that would establish and enforce federal environmental protection laws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Environmental Protection Agency</span> Environmental agency in California

The California Environmental Protection Agency, or CalEPA, is a state cabinet-level agency within the government of California. The mission of CalEPA is to restore, protect and enhance the environment, to ensure public health, environmental quality and economic vitality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental Protection Administration</span> Government agency in Taiwan

The Environmental Protection Administration, Executive Yuan is a cabinet-level executive agency responsible for protecting and conserving the environment in the Republic of China (Taiwan). This also includes, air quality, noise control, monitoring and inspection of environment, solid waste, recycling, sustainable development and international cooperation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance</span>

The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) is the law enforcement arm of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is made up of attorneys, special agents, scientists and other employees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's River, County Kilkenny, Ireland</span> River in southeastern Ireland, tributary of the Nore

The King's River is a river in Ireland that flows through the counties of Tipperary and Kilkenny. It is part of the Nore catchment area and is a tributary of the River Nore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental Protection Agency (Ghana)</span> Environmental Protection Agency

The Environmental Protection Agency, is an agency of Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, established by EPA Act 490 (1994). The agency is dedicated to improving, conserving and promoting the country’s environment and striving for environmentally sustainable development with sound, efficient resource management, taking into account social and equity issues. It oversees the implementation of the National Environment Policy. EPA Ghana's mission is to manage, protect and enhance the country’s environment and seek common solutions to global environmental problems. Its mission is to be achieved through an integrated environmental planning and management system with broad public participation, efficient implementation of appropriate programs and technical services, advice on environmental problems and effective, consistent enforcement of environmental law and regulations. EPA Ghana is a regulatory body and a catalyst for change to sound environmental stewardship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belhavel Lough</span> Lake in County Leitrim, Ireland

Belhavel Lough is a freshwater lake in the northwest of Ireland. It is located in north County Leitrim near the village of Killarga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rinn Lough</span> Lake in south County Leitrim, Ireland

Rinn Lough, also known as Lough Rynn, is a freshwater lake in the northwest of Ireland. It is located in south County Leitrim.

Richard JohnPentreath is a British marine scientist who made major contributions to radioecology, particularly with regard to alpha-emitting nuclides in the marine environment. He went on to broaden the international system of radiological protection to include animals and plants with respect to different exposure situations, as well as protection of the animal as patient in veterinary medicine. He also played a major role in the success of the National Rivers Authority and its subsequent merging with other bodies to form the Environment Agency.

References

  1. 1 2 (EPA), Environmental Protection Agency. "Office of Communications and Corporate Services". www.epa.ie. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  2. 1 2 Joint Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services (15 February 2017). The Role of EPA in Regulation of Public Water Services (PDF) (Report). p. 2. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  3. Review of the Environmental Protection Agency - Consultation Document (PDF) (Report). April 2010. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 April 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  4. "Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992". Act No. 7 of 23 April 1992 . Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  5. (EPA), Environmental Protection Agency. "Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII)". www.epa.ie. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  6. Mills, Gillian (1 August 2014). "Merger of State agencies EPA and RPII | Inshore Ireland". www.inshore-ireland.com. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  7. (EPA), Environmental Protection Agency. "EPA and RPII to Merge". www.epa.ie. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  8. (EPA), Environmental Protection Agency. "Laura Burke". www.epa.ie. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  9. (EPA), Environmental Protection Agency. "Our Organisational Structure". www.epa.ie. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  10. (EPA), Environmental Protection Agency. "Office of Environmental Sustainability (OES)". www.epa.ie. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  11. (EPA), Environmental Protection Agency. "Office of Environmental Enforcement". www.epa.ie. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  12. (EPA), Environmental Protection Agency. "Office of Evidence and Assessment (OEA)". www.epa.ie. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  13. (EPA), Environmental Protection Agency. "Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring". www.epa.ie. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  14. (EPA), Environmental Protection Agency. "Contact Us - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA". www.epa.ie. Retrieved 9 April 2017.