The agency's role

I chose to look closer at the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. In 1837, the Senate created the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds to oversee the development of the Federal buildings in the young, but growing Federal City of Washington, DC. After multiple revisions in 1977, the name of the committee was changed to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. The committee's oversight extends to programs in five cabinet-level departments and seven independent agencies.  The nature of the agency's role in protecting the environment lays in many areas: 

1. Air pollution.
2. Construction and maintenance of highways.
3. Environmental aspects of Outer Continental Shelf lands.
4. Environmental effects of toxic substances, other than pesticides.
5. Environmental policy.
6. Environmental research and development.
7. Fisheries and wildlife.
8. Flood control and improvements of rivers and harbors, including environmental aspects of deepwater ports.
9. Noise pollution.
10. Nonmilitary environmental regulation and control of nuclear energy.
11. Ocean dumping.
12. Public buildings and improved grounds of the United States generally, including Federal buildings in the District of Columbia.
13. Public works, bridges, and dams.
14. Regional economic development.
15. Solid waste disposal and recycling.
16. Water pollution.
17. Water resources.