Vintage photos show how American cities looked before the EPA regulated water and air pollution
NEWS | 08 October 2025
A photograph from 1972 shows how "industry has changed the face of the San Francisco Bay Area," according to the EPA. A photograph from 1972 shows how "industry has changed the face of the San Francisco Bay Area," according to the EPA. Belinda Rain/EPA A photograph from 1972 shows how "industry has changed the face of the San Francisco Bay Area," according to the EPA. Belinda Rain/EPA lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Impact Link Have an account? Log in . This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Don't let the soft, sepia tones fool you — the United States used to be dangerously polluted. Before President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970, the environment and its well-being was not a federal priority. Federal actions like the 1970 Clean Air Act and the 1972 Clean Water Act helped regulate water and air pollution, changing the landscape of American cities. Since President Donald Trump returned to office in January, his administration and EPA administrator Lee Zeldin have sought to roll back environmental protections aimed at tackling widespread pollution. Among its efforts, the EPA's scientific research arm, the Office of Research and Development, is being dismantled, leaving thousands of workers without jobs, the agency announced earlier this month. The agency said it will create a new Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions, which it said will focus on research and ultimately save the EPA almost $750 million. Zeldin said in a statement that the changes mean the EPA "is better equipped than ever to deliver on our core mission of protecting human health and the environment, while Powering the Great American Comeback.'' The actions fall in line with the administration's wider goal of promoting government efficiency across federal agencies, while pursuing policies that boost US production and the use of fossil fuels. "The obliteration of ORD will have generational impacts on Americans' health and safety," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California, who is on the House Science Committee, the AP reported. In the early 1970s, the EPA launched the "The Documerica Project," which leveraged 100 freelance photographers to document what the US looked like. By 1974, they had taken 81,000 photos. The National Archives digitized nearly 16,000 and made them available online. We've selected 36 of the photos to reflect on how cities across the US used to look.
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