Guide to Federal Records

Records of the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA]


(Record Group 412)
1944-96

OVERVIEW OF RECORDS LOCATIONS

Table of Contents

  • 412.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
  • 412.2 RECORDS OF PREDECESSORS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 1944-71
  • 412.2.1 Records of the Division of Water Supply and Pollution Control and its successors, the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration and the Federal Water Quality Administration
  • 412.2.2 Records of the Federal Radiation Council
  • 412.3 RECORDS OF THE EFFLUENT GUIDELINES DIVISION, EPA 1973-79
  • 412.4 RECORDS OF ADVISORY AND INTERNATIONAL BODIES 1945-70
  • 412.4.1 Records of Water Pollution Advisory Boards
  • 412.4.2 Records of the International Joint Commission (IJC)
  • 412.5 RECORDS OF EPA FIELD ORGANIZATIONS 1951-89
  • 412.5 HEADQUARTERS RECORDS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 1948-96
  • 412.5.1 Records of the Office of the Administrator
  • 412.5.2 Records of the Associate Adminstrator for Regional Operations and State/Local Relations
  • 412.5.3 Records of the Associate Adminstrator for Communications, Education and Public Affairs
  • 412.5.4 Records of the Associate Adminstrator for Congressional and Legislative Affairs
  • 412.5.5 Records of the Assistant Adminstrator for Adminstration and Resources Management
  • 412.5.6 Records of the Assistant Administrator for Enforcement
  • 412.5.7 Records of the Assistant Administrator for International Activities
  • 412.5.8 Records of the Assistant Administrator for Research and Development
  • 412.5.9 Records of the Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation
  • 412.5.10 Records of the Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances
  • 412.5.11 Records of the Assistant Administrator for Water
  • 412.6 RECORDS OF EPA FIELD ORGANIZATIONS 1951-92
  • 412.6.1 Records of EPA Region I, Boston, MA (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
  • 412.6.2 Records of EPA Region III, Philadelphia, PA (DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV)
  • 412.5.3 Records of EPA Region IV, Atlanta, GA (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN)
  • 412.6.4 Records of EPA Region V, Chicago, IL (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI)
  • 412.6.5 Records of EPA Region VI, Dallas, TX (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX)
  • 412.6.6 Records of EPA Region VII, Kansas City, MO (CO, IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, SD, WI, WY)
  • 412.6.7 Records of EPA Region VIII, Denver, CO (CO, MT, UT, WY)
  • 412.6.8 Records of EPA Region IX, San Francisco, CA (AZ, CA, HI, NV)
  • 412.6.9 Records of EPA Region X, Seattle, WA (AK, ID, OR, WA)
  • 412.7 CARTOGRAPHIC RECORDS (GENERAL)
  • 412.8 MOTION PICTURES (GENERAL) 1969-71
  • 412.9 VIDEO RECORDINGS (GENERAL)
  • 412.10 SOUND RECORDINGS (GENERAL)
  • 412.11 MACHINE-READABLE RECORDS (GENERAL) 1987-90
  • 412.12 STILL PICTURES (GENERAL) 1959-95

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412.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

Established: As an independent agency by Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, effective December 2, 1970, consolidating Federal Water Quality Administration, Department of the Interior; Federal Radiation Council, an independent agency; and Environmental Health Service (Environmental Control Administration and National Air Pollution Control Administration), Public Health Service (PHS), Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW).

Predecessor Agencies:

Federal Radiation Council (1959-70)

In the Public Health Service, Federal Security Administration (FSA, 1949-53) and HEW (1953-70):

Division of Water Supply and Pollution Control (DWSPC, 1949-65)
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration (FWPCA, 1965-66, to Interior)

Bureau of Disease Prevention and Environmental Control (BDPEC, 1966-68)

In the Consumer Protection and Environmental Health Service (CPEHS, 1968-70), PHS, HEW and Environmental Health Service (EHS, 1970), PHS, HEW:

Environmental Control Administration (ECA, 1968-70)
National Air Pollution Control Administration (NAPCA, 1968-70)

In the Department of the Interior:

Federal Water Pollution Control Administration (1966-70)
Federal Water Quality Administration (1970)

Functions: Coordinates federal action to reduce environmental pollution.

Finding Aids: Preliminary inventory in National Archives microfiche edition of preliminary inventories.

Related Records: Record copies of publications of the Environmental Protection Agency and its predecessors in RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government. Records of the Public Health Service, 1912-1968, RG 90.

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412.2 RECORDS OF PREDECESSORS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
1944-71

History: Bureau of Disease Prevention and Environmental Control established in PHS, HEW, by HEW reorganization order, June 29, 1967, pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1966, effective September 25, 1966, absorbing certain environmental and health functions of abolished PHS Bureaus of Medical Services and Health Services. BDPEC abolished by HEW reorganization order, July 1, 1968, with environmental functions vested in Environmental Control Administration and National Air Pollution Control Administration, which, together with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), constituted Consumer Protection and Environmental Health Service. Upon separation of FDA, effective July 1, 1970, by HEW reorganization order, January 16, 1970, CPEHS redesignated Environmental Health Service. EHS abolished by Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, and its functions, together with those of ECA (except Bureaus of Environmental Management; Occupational Safety and Health; and Radiological Health) and NAPCA, consolidated with functions of Federal Water Quality Administration (SEE 412.2.1) and Federal Radiation Council (SEE 412.2.2) to form EPA. SEE 412.1.

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412.2.1 Records of the Division of Water Supply and Pollution Control and its successors, the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration and the Federal Water Quality Administration

History: Division of Water Supply and Pollution Control established in PHS, FSA, to administer the Water Pollution Control Act (62 Stat. 1155), June 30, 1948. Transferred with PHS from abolished FSA to newly created HEW by Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1953, effective April 11, 1953. Abolished and functions assigned to newly established Federal Water Pollution Control Administration, HEW, by Water Quality Act of 1965 (79 Stat. 903), October 2, 1965. FWPCA transferred to the Department of the Interior by Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1966, effective May 10, 1966. Redesignated Federal Water Quality Administration, Interior, by the Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970 (84 Stat. 113), April 3, 1970. Abolished by Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970 and functions consolidated with those of EHS and Federal Radiation Council to form EPA. SEE 412.1.

Textual Records: River basin water pollution control studies ("River Basin Files"), 1944-59. Legislative history files, 1948- 71. Organizational history files, 1948-70. General program planning files, 1953-70. Pollution control program agency resource projections ("Needs Program"), 1956-70. Policy documents, 1949-70. Publications and speeches of DWSPC Chief Gordon E. McCallum, 1949-65. Correspondence of FWPCA Commissioner James Quigley, 1962- 67.

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412.2.2 Records of the Federal Radiation Council

History: Established as an independent agency by EO 10831, August 14, 1959, to advise the President on health effects of radiation and develop radiation exposure standards. Given statutory recognition by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 Amendments (73 Stat. 690), September 23, 1959. Abolished by Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970 and functions consolidated with those of Federal Water Quality Administration and EHS to form EPA. SEE 412.1.

Textual Records: General correspondence, 1959-70. Minutes of council meetings, 1959-70. Records relating to hearings held before the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy concerning uranium mining and electric power production, 1967-70. Organizational and budgetary records, 1959-70. Reports and other records relating to the development of radiation protection standards, 1960-69. Reports and miscellaneous studies, 1959-70.

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412.3 RECORDS OF THE EFFLUENT GUIDELINES DIVISION, EPA
1973-79

Textual Records: Technical reports on effluent guidelines and performance standards, 1973-76, 1979.

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412.4 RECORDS OF ADVISORY AND INTERNATIONAL BODIES
1945-70

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412.4.1 Records of Water Pollution Advisory Boards

History: First Water Pollution Advisory Board established in PHS, FSA, by the Water Pollution Control Act (62 Stat. 1158), June 30, 1948. Abolished and second board established under PHS, HEW, by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (70 Stat. 498), July 9, 1956.

Textual Records: Reports, bibliographies, membership lists, and biographical sketches of members, 1960-68.

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412.4.2 Records of the International Joint Commission (IJC)

History: Established pursuant to a treaty of January 11, 1909, between the United States and Great Britain (on behalf of Canada), with jurisdiction over all cases involving use, obstruction, or diversion of boundary waters, waters flowing from boundary waters, and waters at a lower level than the boundary in rivers flowing across the boundary.

Textual Records: General records, 1959-68. Records relating to pollution of waters along the Canadian-U.S. border, including correspondence and other records of an investigation of pollution sources on Lake St. Clair and on the St. Clair, Detroit, and St. Marys Rivers, 1945-57. Minutes of meetings of IJC advisory boards, 1946-70.

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412.5 HEADQUARTERS RECORDS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 1948-96

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412.5.1 Records of the Office of the Administrator

Textual Records: General correspondence, 1971-83. Letters sent, 1977-82. Intra-agency memorandums, 1977-84. Records of the office of regional liaison, 1972-81. Policy decision files, 1979-82. Management files of the Federal Water Quality Administration, 1966- 71. Issuances of predecessor agencies, 1966-70.

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412.5.2 Records of the Associate Adminstrator for Regional Operations and State/Local Relations

Textual Records: Records of the Office of Regional and Intergovernmental Operation, consisting of regional correspondence, 1976-77.

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412.5.3 Records of the Associate Adminstrator for Communications, Education and Public Affairs

Textual Records: Records of the Office of Public Affairs, consisting of transcripts of press conferences and other related records, 1971-73.

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412.5.4 Records of the Associate Adminstrator for Congressional and Legislative Affairs

Textual Records: Records of the Office of Federal Activities, consisting of Federal environment impact reports and related records, 1973-79.

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412.5.5 Records of the Assistant Adminstrator for Adminstration and Resources Management

Textual Records: Records of the Office for Planning and Management, consisting of administrative records, 1971-75; records relating to the consolidated grant system, 1971-78; contract files relating to environmental research, 1966-72; Congressional correspondence regarding EPA regulations, 1975-76; and comments received regarding EPA regulations, 1975-78.

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412.5.6 Records of the Assistant Administrator for Enforcement

Textual Records: Records of the Office of Enforcement and General Counsel, consisting of records pertaining to regulation of interstate bodies of water, 1948-75; and transcripts of hearings regarding 180 day violations, 1969-72. Records of the Office of General Counsel, consisting of landmark litigation appeals case files, 1970-84; and landmark litigation appeals case files, 1972-79. Records of the Office of General Enforcement, consisting of technical reports and related records pertaining to hearings and conference, 1968-79; cases filed in the United States District Courts under the Refuse Act of 1899, 1970-73; criminal and civil case files regarding the Refuse Act of 1899, 1970-73; records of air pollution abatement conferences, 1964- 76; charts monitoring industrial compliance with clean air act regulations and standards, 1970-74; records relating to 180-day notices issued to violators of water quality standards, 1970-74; records of hearings conducted by the EPA on automobile emission standards, 1973; Mercedes Benz applications for suspension of automotive emission standards and related records, 1973; applications for delayed compliance orders to emission standards of the Clean Air Act, 1974-83; records of regulatory hearings concerning sulphur oxide emissions, 1973; unsigned enforcement actions, 1971-75; administrative orders, 1974-75; quarterly non-compliance reports, 1976; and municipal audit checklists, 1975-76. Records of the Office of Water Enforcement, consisting of quarterly and interim non-compliance reports, 1977-78; and records of the Permit Division, including records of the Secretary of the International Joint Commission of the Working Group on the Abatement and Control of Pollution from Dredging Activities, 1972-75; and records relating to the consolidation of permit policies and regulations, 1976-80.

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412.5.7 Records of the Assistant Administrator for International Activities

Textual Records: Records of the Office of International Affairs, consisting of records of the U.S./U.S.S.R. Joint Commission on Environmental Programs, 1972-76.

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412.5.8 Records of the Assistant Administrator for Research and Development

Textual Records: Records of the Office of Research and Development, consisting of forms describing research objectives, 1970-77; management and budgetary plans and other related records, 1970-77; studies and other related records assessing the health and ecological effects of pollution, 1971-77; studies and other related records regarding air, land, and water use, 1971-77; studies of monitoring and technical support programs and other related records, 1971-77; studies of acid rain and other related records, 1971-77; studies of energy, minerals, and industry programs and other related records, 1971-81; and reports of environmental impact assessment studies relating to utilities on the Lower Ohio River Basin, 1976-80.

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412.5.9 Records of the Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation

Textual Records: Records of the Office of Air Program, consisting of adminstrative subject files, 1966-72; contractors final reports, 1974-84; and final reports of the Air Quality Technical Assistant (AQTA) demonstration grant program, 1979-82. Records of the Office of Noise Abatement and Control, consisting of motor carrier, railroad, and aircraft noise abatement dockets, 1966-74; and records pertaining to Federal agency noise abatement and control programs, 1972-82. Records of the Office of Mobile Source Pollution Control Programs, consisting of records relating to vehicle certification under National Emissions Standards Act of 1967, 1970-76; and records relating to air standards and regulations, 1966-77. General correspondence of the Transportation and Land Use Policy, 1979-82.

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412.5.10 Records of the Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances

Textual Records: Records of the Office of Pesticide Programs, consisting of copies of USDA Summary of Registered Agricultural Pesticide Chemical Uses and related records, 1961-73.

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412.5.11 Records of the Assistant Administrator for Water

Textual Records: Clean water needs survey reports to Congress, 1973-96. Records of the Office of Water Programs Operations relating to policy and planning, 1970-81. Records of the Water Regulations and Standards, consisting of state plans for water quality standards, 1966-71; records relating to water quality problem areas, 1972-82 ; and records related to pollution control in the photoprocessing industry, 1973-82. Records of the Office of Drinking Water, consisting of records relating to program establishment, 1968-78; and records relating to state underground injection control programs, 1975-78.

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412.6 RECORDS OF EPA FIELD ORGANIZATIONS
1951-92

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412.6.1 Records of EPA Region I, Boston, MA (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)

Textual Records (in Boston): Records of the regional administrator, documenting the decision to build the Seabrook (NH) Nuclear Power Plant and subsequent program development and litigation with anti- nuclear citizen groups, 1973-79. Records of the Enforcement Division, 1974-78. Records of the Regional Air Pollution Control Director, 1969-71. "Superfund removal" case files and related records of the Environmental Services Division, 1971-93.

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412.6.2 Records of EPA Region III, Philadelphia, PA (DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV)

Textual Records (in Philadelphia): Daily activity reports of the Regional Administrator, 1981-89. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System hearing files, 1977-83.Records of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Branch consisting of preparation files, 1976-83. Conference transcripts, 1975-76. Program development files, 1972-79. Adjudicatory hearing files, 1983. Hazardous waste superfund files-southern Maryland wood treating, 1977.

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412.6.3 Records of EPA Region IV, Atlanta, GA (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN)

Textual Records (in Atlanta): Adjudicatory hearings files of the Office of Regional Counsel, 1972, 1974-81. Records of the Legal Support Branch, consisting of 180 Notice Files--Water, 1972-85. Records of the Water Quality Standards Section, Water Projects Branch, relating to water quality standards conferences, 1969-71. Water Enforcement Branch compliance files, 1975. Kentucky-Tennessee drainage well inventory, 1984. Records of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Branch, consisting of coordination files, 1973-75; preparation files, 1974-80; and studies, 1970-78, with accompanying photographs (65 images). State implementation plan files, 1970-80. Records relating to public hearings, 1973-85. Underground injection control files, 1988. Records of the Emission Standards and Engineering Division, consisting of air quality in-house project files, 1978-87. Water grant project files for Florida, 1969-73.

Sound Recordings (139 items, in Atlanta): Audio tapes of public hearings, 1970-85. SEE ALSO 412.10.

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412.6.4 Records of EPA Region V, Chicago, IL (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI)

Textual Records (in Chicago): Records of the Mobile Source Air Pollution Control, Ann Arbor, MI, consisting of certification applications, 1968-74; test records, 1972; and test packets, 1974-75.

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412.6.5 Records of EPA Region VI, Dallas, TX (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX)

Textual Records (in Fort Worth): Program planning and evaluation files, 1970-75. Records of public hearings on requests for ocean dumping and pollutant discharge permits, 1970-78. State water quality management plans for river basins in LA, OK, and TX, 1973-83.

Subject Access Terms: Arkansas River; Brazos River; Canadian River; Colorado River; Cypress Creek; E. I. Du Pont; Ethyl Corp.; Guadalupe River; International Paper; Kennecott Copper; Kerr- McGee Nuclear Corp.; Lavaca River; Neches River; Red River; Rio Grande River; Sabine River; San Antonio River; San Jacinto River; Shell; Sulphur River; Texaco; Trinity River; Weyerhaeuser Co.

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412.6.6 Records of EPA Region VII, Kansas City, MO (IA, KS, MO, NE)

Textual Records (in Kansas City): Missouri and Upper Mississippi River Basin studies, 1951-71. Adjudicatory hearings files, 1972- 75. Enviromental impact statement coordination files, 1971-82.

Map (1 item, in Kansas City): Southeast quadrangle, St. Onge, SD (1954), annotated to show Crow Creek diversion, ca. 1971.

Photographs (19 images, in Kansas City): Effects of pollution and of abatement measures on tributaries of the Missouri River in WY, NE, and SD, 1951-71. SEE ALSO 412.12.

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412.6.7 Records of EPA Region VIII, Denver, CO (CO, MT, UT, WY)

Textual Records (in Denver): Final report of a special study of the Garrison Diversion Project, ND, 1976-78. Regional director's schedule of daily activities, 1984-92. Speeches prepared for delivery at civic functions, professional conferences, and meetings, 1985-87.

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412.6.8 Records of EPA Region IX, San Francisco, CA (AZ, CA, HI, NV)

Textual Records (in San Francisco): Enforcement Division administrative files, 1971-79. Public hearings files, 1971-79. Microfilm copy of records relating to public hearings, 1971-79 (22 rolls). Adjudicatory hearings files, 1973-79. . Evidentiary hearing files, 1979. Santa Barbara, CA, oil spill study, 1968-69. Emergency preparation progress files, 1973. Environment impact state preparation files, 1979-80.

Photographs (312 images, in San Francisco): Santa Barbara oil spill, 1968-69. SEE ALSO 412.12.

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412.6.9 Records of EPA Region X, Seattle, WA (AK, ID, OR, WA)

Textual Records (in Seattle): Public hearings files, 1971-79, including records relating to the public hearing in Bellingham, WA (June 22, 1971), before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, on the application by the Atlantic Richfield Company to construct an outfall pipe and discharge effluent from the Cherry Point Refinery in the Strait of Georgia, 1971. State implement plans, 1972. Technical reports, 1973. Files relating to public hearings on noise, 1971-80. Removal records, 1974-92.

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412.7 CARTOGRAPHIC RECORDS (GENERAL)

SEE Map UNDER 412.6.6.

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412.8 MOTION PICTURES (GENERAL)
1964-76

Office of Public Awareness films on environmental pollution and its ill effects, 1969-71.

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412.9 VIDEO RECORDINGS (GENERAL)
1972-90
900 items

Agency-created video recordings and video recordings of privately produced television programs relating to a wide variety of EPA activities and policies, 1969-71.

SEE UNDER 412.6.3.

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412.10 SOUND RECORDINGS (GENERAL)

SEE UNDER 412.6.3.

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412.11 MACHINE-READABLE RECORDS (GENERAL)
1987-90
7 datasets

Toxic chemical release inventory system (TRIS), 1987-90.

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412.12 STILL PICTURES (GENERAL)
1959-95

Photographs (4,183 images): Air and water pollution from various sources, effects of pollution, pollution control activities and quality control systems, EPA tests and experiments, and EPA officials, 1962-72 (G, 1,400 images). Citizens, events, and activities in Mascoutah, IL, taken by Ken Heyman for EPA DOCUMERICA program, 1971, 1973-74 (DAH, 720 images). Air and water pollution control activities, Federal Water Quality Administration personnel, 1959-72 (GA, 1,920 images). Environmental impact of air and water pollution, ca. 1970 (PP, 143 images).

Color Photographs (22,221 images): Air and water pollution, urban blight, land erosion, natural resource destruction, and other subjects used in EPA DOCUMERICA program, 1972-77 (DA, DAS, DAB, DAD, DAF, DAFC; 17,024 images). Similar subjects produced for, but not used in, DOCUMERICA program, 1972-77 (DM, 5,060 images). Selected subjects produced for use in DOCUMERICA 1 exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, 1972 (DOC, 137 images).

Color Slides (3,982 images): Environmental issues during the 1970's used in EPA DOCUMERICA program, 1973-75 (DAZ, 499 images). Environment-related topics such as solid waste disposal, clean air, clean water, asbestos, pesticides, and fluoride, 1974-82, with accompanying audio recordings and textual scripts (S, 3,200 images). Views of the Mississippi exhibit at the 1974 Smithsonian Folk Life Festival; activities near an EPA designated ocean dumping site east of Ambrose Light in the Atlantic Ocean near New York; "Saved from Extinction" pertaining to an Atlantic Loggerhead turtle conservation program on Cumberland Island, GA; and the effects of various industries on the environment used in studies of lands to be included in proposed national parks, 1967-74 (MI, 283 images).

Posters (16 items): Issued in commemoration of Earth Day 1995, the posters relate to environmental issues and worker safety, ca. 1990-95 (AEP, ARP, EDP, PIP, RP, SWP, WP).

SEE Photographs UNDER 412.6.6. and 412.6.8.

Finding Aids: Image and caption color microfiche (534 fiche) and computer printout index to series DA.

Related Records: Miscellaneous correspondence, office memorandums, and records relating to exhibits and publication of DOCUMERICA photographs in newspapers and periodicals, 1972-77 (M). Paper records relating to the assignment of photographers' contracts for the DOCUMERICA project, 1972-77 (P).

Subject Access Terms: Nixon, President Richard M. (photographs of, G).


Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.

Ordering information

This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.


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