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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY LAUNCHES NEW HOME PAGE, RELEASES REGIONAL PROGRESS REPORTS

Release Date: 04/20/2000
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The Environmental Protection Agency launched its new Internet home page -- epa.gov -- today, marking the 30th anniversary of Earth Day by making environmental information more accessible to the tens of millions of visitors who come to the site each month. As part of the Earth Day-related launch, EPA regional offices around the country are releasing reports detailing environmental progress and public health protections over the last 30 years.

Featuring a modern text and graphic look, the new EPA web site has a sophisticated search engine that enables users to navigate faster and execute searches more easily. The web site retains all of the features that have made it one of the most frequently visited sites among federal agencies. In March, users logged more than 90 million hits on the site.

A collection of regional environmental progress reports, prepared especially for Earth Day 2000, is now available and is linked directly to the home page. The reports are collectively titled “Remember the Past - Protect the Future.”

Each of the reports contains specific detailed information about air, water and land pollution-fighting efforts in the regions. A variety of state and community-specific information in the reports will be useful for public and news media understanding of the “before and after” picture of the environment across the nation.

In a foreward to the reports, EPA Administrator Carol M. Browner says, “We’ve made remarkable progress but we can’t rest on our success. Our mission to protect public health and to protect the environment, is a mission without end. New challenges loom over the horizon as surely as the new day.”

The redesigned epa.gov offers users nine different pathways to access EPA’s vast information universe, each button linking to offering a different destination. For example, the “Audience” button makes it easier for small businesses, students, concerned citizens and researchers to find materials tailored to their needs. The “Laws and Regulations” button leads the user directly to the major environmental laws and dockets under EPA’s jurisdiction. The “Information” button takes the user to EPA’s many hotlines, list servers and clearinghouses.

The “In the News” cover page adds new dimensions of timeliness and personality to the web site. Each module will be updated frequently. Such features as “Education Matters” and “Consumer News” offer practical, common-sense advice and information on everyday issues. The “People and Profiles” feature and the “Money Matters and Jobs” add a more personal approach to EPA’s resources.

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