Environmental Restoration Planners

The profession of environmental restoration started in the 1960s and 1970s, when environmental laws and regulations were established to reduce and prevent pollution, conserve natural resources, and use the environment more responsibly. Many laws were enacted to address these issues, such as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), passed in 1969, which continues to have a deep influence on environmental restoration planning. This law requires federal agencies to take into account how their proposed actions will affect the environment and propose reasonable alternatives to those actions. They do this through a mandatory environmental impact statement, which verifies that their actions are NEPA compliant. The Council on Environmental Quality was also created to ensure that NEPA standards were being met.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), established in 1970, also continues to have an impact on the field of environmental restoration planning. The mission of the EPA is to protect human health and the environment. The organization develops and enforces federal regulations, conducts research and studies on environmental issues, and provides grants for scientific studies to help determine the best methods for environmental cleanups.

Today, environmental restoration planners work with government agencies and private environmental consulting firms to help clients clean up unhealthy environments and maintain and manage sites that are compliant with environmental regulations.