An independent federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollution and protecting the environment is the

• A. FDA
• B. NIH
• C. USDA
• D. EPA

Answer: (D)

The Environmental Protection Agency is an independent federal agency whose job is to coordinate programs that reduce pollution and protect the environment. It was created specifically to oversee environmental laws and enforce regulations aimed at safeguarding air, water, and natural resources, making it the go-to federal body for environmental protection. Other agencies have different focus areas—for example, the FDA regulates food and drugs, the NIH conducts biomedical research, and the USDA handles agriculture and food safety—so they aren’t the ones primarily tasked with coordinating nationwide pollution-reduction efforts.