Regulatory Agencies Info Page
Federal & State Regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works to protect human health and the environment by ensuring Americans have clean air, land, and water. The agency conducts scientific research, enforces national environmental regulations, and cleans up contaminated sites. The EPA-managed regulations and acts include FIFRA, FFDCA, PRIA, MPRSA, MBTA, and the CWA, including NPDES.
The U.S. ACE regulates development in protected aquatic areas by issuing permits under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act for activities involving excavation, structures, or dredged and fill materials. It also manages water quality across its civil works infrastructure by monitoring aquatic health, implementing environmental restoration efforts, and controlling discharge from federal dams and reservoirs.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal agency dedicated to conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife, plants, and their natural habitats. It accomplishes this by enforcing federal wildlife laws like the Endangered Species Act, managing the National Wildlife Refuge System, and restoring vital ecosystems across the country.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) monitors, predicts, and protects coastal, marine, and climate ecosystems to maintain healthy oceanic and atmospheric environments. The agency monitors and regulates marine fisheries (MSA), marine mammals (MMPA), coastal habitats (CZMA), and marine sanctuaries (NMSA), among other things.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), also known as NOAA Fisheries, is a NOAA agency that holds federal regulatory jurisdiction over the stewardship of living marine resources and their habitats within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. In this governing capacity, the agency enforces key statutes like the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and the Endangered Species Act (ESA).