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<P><JC><B>Terrorism and the Future of the Environmental Protection Agency</B>
<P><JC>EPA CT Mission and Offices
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<P>EPA is preparing for and will respond to terrorist threats from weapons of mass destruction (WMD). WMDs are "weapons or devices that are intended, or have the capability, to cause death or serious bodily injury to a significant number of people, through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic poisonous chemicals; disease organisms; or radiation or radioactivity." (For links to key laws and their summaries, go to Law Summaries.) Because of its inherent role in protecting human health and the environment from possible harmful effects of certain chemical, biological, and nuclear materials, EPA is actively involved in counter-terrorism planning and response efforts.  
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<P>EPA is supporting the Federal counter-terrorism program by: (1) helping State and local responders to plan for emergencies; (2) coordinating with key Federal Partners; (3) training first responders; and (4) providing resources in the event of a terrorist incident. Several offices within the Agency are involved in these efforts: The Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office (CEPPO), the Office of Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR), the Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA), and the National Enforcement Investigations Center (NEIC). Please see the Counter-Terrorism Fact Sheet (July 1998) (PDF) for more details.
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