Do Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations protect Americans’ health? Mary Rice, director of Harvard C-CHANGE, answers your questions in part one of this Q&A on the EPA’s origins and its impact on U.S. citizens’ health. If you have more questions for Rice or other environmental health experts at Harvard Chan School, leave them in the comments or send us a message. | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

The EPA was created in 1970, at a time when cities choked on smog and our waters were so polluted that rivers caught fire. While millions of Americans remember this era, today’s younger generations are unfamiliar with this period of unregulated ecological disaster and the severe harms to our public health and environment. ​ Just last month, Trump’s EPA announced plans to roll back 31 public health and safety regulations and initiatives that are backed by science and the law. We refuse to go back