PPA — Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission The Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PPA) oversees the distribution of electric power with a population of more than 30,000. The Commission's service area includes, but is not limited to, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the surrounding counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Dauphin, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and Philadelphia, Leigh, Northampton, Schuylkill, and Warren counties and all or part of Berks, Montgomery, and Chester counties. PPA: State of Pennsylvania — Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Natural Resources The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (PAD NRC) is a division of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection which operates under Commonwealth powers. PAD NRC administers the Pennsylvania Environmental Management Act (PAMPA). PAD NRC's responsibilities include the regulation and licensing of water utilities, energy utilities, electric utilities, natural gas utilities, sewer utilities, natural gas pipelines, coal-fired electricity and natural gas pipelines, and the regulation of water quality by its Commission on Water Quality (CASE). Commission on Water Quality (CASE): This state agency is responsible for the regulation of water quality and pollution by means and methods. It also regulates the use of sewerage, natural gas, water, surface waters, and other sources of water for municipal supplies. Watershed Protection Program — PAD NRC This is the division charged with protecting and restoring watersheds in Pennsylvania by enforcing, implementing, and improving the state's water quality and conservation programs. EPA: United States Environmental Protection Agency The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an executive agency within the executive branch of the U.S. government. In addition to its regulatory, inspection, and enforcement power, the EPA plays an important role in implementing federal environmental protection and conservation programs. EPA's mission is to achieve and maintain safe, clean, and healthier air and water for all Americans. That means that EPA has a wide range of resources available to it, such as grants, contracts, technical assistance, and personnel, as well as partnerships with the private sector. The Clean Water Act of 1974 and the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1986 are among the first environmental protection laws ever passed.