Creation of a Department of the Environment

GAO discussed proposed legislation that would elevate the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to Cabinet level. GAO believes that the creation of a Department of the Environment would: (1) enhance the status of environmental protection issues on the federal agenda; (2) enable the nation to respond more effectively to complex environmental challenges; (3) improve agency oversight and accountability; and (4) enable EPA to more effectively deal with the number, scope, and persistence of environmental problems.