How to Contact the Environmental Protection Agency

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains dozens of open channels for answering questions about environmental practices, logging citizen comments about pending federal regulations and responding to possible regulation violations. Unlike other governmental bodies that can be hard to reach, the EPA has at least 50 hotlines devoted to topics ranging from acid rain to best workplaces for commuters. The only hard part about contacting the EPA is finding the appropriate channel to use.

Instructions

• 1

  Call or write the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency headquarters if you are not sure which EPA office to contact. Headquarters will direct you to the appropriate channels.

• 2

  Locate your EPA regional office for faster service. The EPA is divided into 10 regions. To identify which region is yours and to contact that office, visit the EPA "Mailing Addresses and Phone Numbers" web page or click a region on the map at the EPA homepage.

• 3

  Dial a hotline or clearinghouse if you have a specific environmental issue in mind, such as acid rain, pesticides, the ozone layer, workplace conditions or compliance assistance. Telephone numbers for specific hotlines are listed on the EPA website Hotlines and Clearinghouses page.

• 4

  Fill out the "Tips" form at the EPA website to report a possible environmental regulatory violation. Do not use the form if your concern is an emergency like an oil spill, toxic radiation or biological threat. Report environmental emergencies to the National Response Center, not the EPA.