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About the Mid-Atlantic Region
The mid-Atlantic regional office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for programs in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Headquartered in Philadelphia, the region has field operations and laboratories in Wheeling, W.Va., Annapolis and Ft Meade, Md., and Pittsburgh, Pa.
Federal environmental programs include air and water pollution control; toxic substances, pesticides and drinking water regulation; wetlands protection; hazardous waste management; hazardous waste site cleanup; and some regulation of radioactive materials. Activities include compliance and enforcement, inspection, engineering reviews, ambient monitoring, analysis of environmental trends, environmental planning, pollution prevention, risk assessment, and education and outreach.
The regional office and its partner state pollution control agencies are responsible for regulating more than 21,000 air pollution sources; 12,000 water pollution sources; and 425 hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities. Together, the agencies investigate 1,500 potential hazardous waste dump sites and the cleanup of 165 sites included or proposed for the Superfund National Priorities List.
The regional administrator is responsible for all of EPA's programs throughout the region. As the region's "CEO," this individual proposes, develops, and implements programs in coordination with the states that are designed to achieve national and regional environmental goals. The regional administrator manages a staff of over 900 and an annual regional budget of $700 million (and $600 more in 2009 under the Recovery Act.
The region’s major program divisions are: Air Protection, Environmental Assessment and Innovation, Hazardous Site Cleanup, Land and Chemicals, Water Protection, and the Chesapeake Bay Program.
Five support offices are Public Affairs; State & Congressional Relations; Enforcement, Compliance & Environmental Justice; Policy & Management; and Regional Counsel.
- Land and Chemicals Division (LCD)
- Air Protection Division (APD)
- Hazardous Site Cleanup Division (HSCD)
- Environmental Assessment and Innovation Division (EAID)
- Water Protection Division (WPD)
- Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
- Office of State and Congressional Relations (OSCR)
- Office of Enforcement, Compliance and Environmental Justice (OECEJ)
- Office of Policy and Management (OPM)
- Office of Regional Counsel (ORC)
- Chesapeake Bay Program Office (CBPO)
Land and Chemicals Division (LCD-Homepage)
LCD administers environmental statutes that protect our air, water and land environments, as well as the public’s right-to-know about hazardous chemicals in their community. It protects the air from asbestos emissions and water and land from inefficient hazardous waste practices; conserves energy and natural resources through recycling and recovery; protects the public from pesticide misuse or contaminants; protects children from the hazards of lead-based paint and other environmental contaminants; and regulates underground storage tanks containing petroleum or hazardous substances.
Air Protection
Division (APD-Homepage)
APD is responsible for planning, monitoring, compliance and enforcement under the Clean Air Act, and recommends the goals, priorities, and objectives of regional air quality and compliance programs. It is also responsible for the implementation and coordination of non-statutory programs and priorities such as energy conservation and global climate change, pollution prevention, geographic initiatives and education/outreach programs designed to reduce environmental pollution.
Hazardous Site Cleanup Division (HSCD-Homepage)
All activities regarding the Oil Pollution Act and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, commonly known as Superfund, are the responsibility of HSCD. It determines goals, priorities and objectives for the Superfund and oil programs and oversees the work of Federal responsible party cleanups and concurs on military base closure property transfers. The division coordinates discovery, assessment, remediation, removal and enforcement of abandoned hazardous waste sites, develops strategy to reuse Superfund sites, supports the redevelopment of Brownfields, and also responds to emergency–including terrorism--situations which pose an immediate threat to human health and the environment.
Environmental Assessment and Innovation Division (EAID)
EAID is a diverse, multidisciplinary organization emphasizing high quality science, field sampling, laboratory analysis, data interpretation, geospatial technology and strategic planning, protection and restoration. EAID takes a holistic ecosystem approach, in cooperation with the other divisions and offices, to achieving human health and environmental protection.
Regulatory responsibilities include the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act’s wetlands program, Marine Protection, Research & Sanctuaries Act, Safe Drinking Water Act’s laboratory certification program, Ocean Dumping Ban Act, and Rivers & Harbors Act. The coastal team performs data collection and analysis for ocean and coastal systems. The Environmental Science Center in Ft Meade, Md. provides laboratory services, quality assurance, analytical procurement, lab certifications and homeland security support to regional, national and state programs. The Freshwater Biology Center in Wheeling, W. Va. supports state and federal efforts to protect stream and other aquatic resources. With the wetlands staff in Philadelphia, the Wheeling team leads work to regulate and mitigate the impacts of coal mining.
EAID leads environmental indicators-based planning, and analyzes environmental data to better understand conditions and trends, and to prioritize and target regional, state and local programs. This includes decision support tools and GIS (geographic information system) mapping. It manages the dredging program, Coastal America, and the Children’s Health Program. It works with partners to develop innovative approaches for issues as diverse as climate change, clean energy and sustainability—which require regulatory and non-regulatory tools. EAID is home to the region’s quality assurance manager, who is responsible for the regional quality system and program offices’ quality assurance programs. Through the regional science liaison, EAID coordinates with EPA’s Office of Research & Development and other regions to focus agency resources and activities on the most important science and policy issues.
Water Protection Division (WPD-Homepage)
WPD manages and implements programs under the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act to protect, preserve, and enhance water resources, and works closely with states and local communities to protect drinking water sources and to ensure that estuaries, rivers, streams, and lakes are healthy, vital resources for communities. They accomplish this through monitoring and the use of water quality standards, pollution load allocations to streams, permits for stream discharges, public health standards and required testing for drinking water safety, and by providing financial and technical assistance to states and localities. When violations of the laws governing water resources occur, the division ensures that the laws are enforced, either directly or in partnership with states. WPD also encourages citizen involvement in developing and carrying out major estuary, local watershed and drinking water protection plans.
Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
OPA is the key focal point between the region and environmental groups, industry, educators, the news media, and the general public. Using a variety of outreach tools, information is provided about the agency’s programs and activities. The office also encourages and facilitates the public’s active involvement in EPA’s decision-making process. OPA is also responsible for the region’s website content, podcasts, customer service hotline, environmental education and the street-level Public Information Center.
Office of State and Congressional Relations (OSCR)
OSCR represents the region before Congress, other elected officials, and state and local governments to support effective partnerships in delivering EPA’s many environmental protection programs. With OPA, OSCR helps ensure that key external stakeholders are informed and involved with EPA’s programs and decisions.
Office of Enforcement, Compliance and Environmental Justice (OECEJ-Homepage)
OECEJ directs and coordinates inspections, monitoring, enforcement and compliance assistance among regional programs and the states, and initiates enforcement against violators of more than one environmental law. The office participates with states and other regional programs in developing enforcement and compliance goals, strategies and policies. OECEJ promotes equal public health, environmental protection and environmental justice, and administers the National Historic Preservation Act.
Office of Policy and Management (OPM)
OPM assists the regional administrator in managing the regional office. It is responsible for human resources, equal employment opportunity, and special emphasis programs which includes the diversity program, administrative and financial management, strategic planning, policy and regulatory development, contracting and procurement, information systems, facilities, telecommunications and grants and audit management.
Office of Regional Counsel (ORC)
ORC represents the region in a wide variety of legal matters, including civil and administrative cases, regulatory and permit actions, government contracts, and employment matters. Often working with the Justice Department, EPA headquarters, and state environmental agency lawyers, this office enforces federal air, water, hazardous waste, toxics and pesticides laws throughout the region. Criminal enforcement counsel assists U.S. Attorneys Offices in prosecuting environmental crimes.
Chesapeake
Bay Program Office (CBPO-Homepage)
The CBPO in Annapolis, Md. provides core scientific and management support to the Chesapeake Bay Program. It is managed by EPA and staffed by people from a number of federal and state agencies, non-profit organizations and academic institutions. The Bay Program is a unique regional partnership that has coordinated the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay since 1983. Partners include the states of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia; the District of Columbia; the Chesapeake Bay Commission (a tri-state legislative body); EPA, representing the federal government; the U.S. Department of Agriculture; and advisory groups of citizens, scientists and local government officials.
