To mitigate health risks, which agency collaborates with local health departments?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is primarily responsible for protecting human health and the environment by regulating the release of pollutants and ensuring safe water and air quality. Its collaboration with local health departments is crucial for addressing environmental health risks such as water contamination, air quality issues, and hazardous waste management.

Local health departments often depend on the EPA for guidelines, research data, and resources related to environmental health. This partnership helps them effectively manage and respond to environmental hazards that can impact public health in their communities.

While the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration do play important roles in public health, their focus is more specialized. The NIH concentrates on biomedical research, and the FDA regulates food safety, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. Therefore, while both of these agencies do collaborate with local health departments in certain contexts, the primary and most direct collaboration for environmental health mitigation purposes is with the EPA.