Sustainability

Sustainable management practices are crucial for ensuring that natural resources such as water, air, and soil are protected for present and future generations and that economic, social, industrial, and recreational interests are appropriately balanced. EPA programs and resources are helping states and communities to protect and restore ecosystems through sustainable management of natural resources. EPA also provides information that assists the agricultural sector to achieve regulatory compliance through sustainable practices.

National Coastal Condition Reports describe the ecological and environmental conditions in U.S. coastal waters and highlight several exemplary federal, state, tribal, and local programs that assess coastal ecological and water quality conditions.

EPA Ecosystem Services Research (PDF) (2 pp, 288 KB, About PDF) helps communities develop tools to support sustainability and good stewardship.

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment investigated the consequences of ecosystem change for human well being.