Which federal agency has authority over environmental matters, including regulation of wastewater systems?

• A. EPA
• B. FDA
• C. OSHA
• D. USEPA

Answer: (D)

The key idea here is which federal agency is responsible for protecting the environment and regulating wastewater systems. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the federal body that does this. It writes and enforces rules for water pollution under the Clean Water Act, and it runs the permit program that controls how much pollution can be discharged from wastewater facilities (the NPDES program). It also sets standards for drinking water and oversees related environmental protections, working with states to implement these programs. The other agencies serve different roles—FDA regulates foods, drugs, and cosmetics; OSHA focuses on workplace safety—and do not primarily regulate wastewater systems. In formal contexts, you may see the same agency referred to as USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency), but they are the same entity.