Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 20 to 26.
The National Environmental Policy Act was first presented to Congress in 1969 and the following year the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established as an independent agency in the executive branch of the US government “to implement the new law and permit coordinated and effective government action on behalf of the environment”. The EPA consolidates in a single body the administration of all federal environmental legislation, ranging from the Refuse Control Act of 1899 to the most recent statutes concerning environmental pollution. The agency monitors environmental quality and seeks to control pollution. It has established special programs in air and water pollution, hazardous wastes, and toxic chemicals, and sponsors research in the technologies of pollution control. The agency is in charge of collecting environmental impact statements: reports on the probable environmental effects of proposed projects which might significantly alter the environment. The National Environmental Policy Act, which became effective in 1971, requires every US government agency to issue a statement on any project it plans to undertake, regulate, or fund. From this creation to the present day, the environmental impact statement has been attacked as a hindrance to economic growth and as too vague to prove a strict standard for environmental control. The EPA reviews all federal environmental impact statements to ensure that the statements comply with laws. Litigation may be instigated if environmental considerations conflict with existing zoning or planning laws. The Endangered Species Act of 1972, which is designed to protect rare animal and plant species, has been used to block several projects that might destroy vital wildlife habitats.
(Adapted from Penguin reading)
