"As concern with the condition of our physical environment has intensified, it has become increasingly clear that we need to know more about the total environment—land, water and air. . . . The Government's environmentally-related activities have grown up piecemeal over the years. The time has come to organize them rationally and systematically."
— President Richard Nixon, message to Congress transmitting Reorganization Plan No. 3, July 1970
Which of the following historical developments in the 1970s most directly reflected the goals described in the excerpt?
- The creation of the Environmental Protection Agency to consolidate federal research and regulatory efforts.Answer
- BThe implementation of laissez-faire economic policies that deregulated corporate energy consumption.
- CThe establishment of the Social Security Administration to provide safety nets for industrial workers.
- DThe escalation of the containment doctrine to prevent communist influence over domestic natural resources.
Answer
The creation of the Environmental Protection Agency to consolidate federal research and regulatory efforts.
The correct answer is correct because President Nixon's Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970 directly resulted in the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA consolidated federal research, monitoring, standard-setting, and enforcement activities into a single agency to ensure systematic environmental protection.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Creation of the EPA and federal environmental regulation