On Nov. 28, 1973, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Russell E. Train announced the final regulations to protect public health by reducing the amount of lead in all grades of gasoline. The EPA was established by President Richard Nixon on Dec. 2, 1970.

According to EPA, a significant portion of the urban population, particularly children were over-exposed to lead through a combination of sources including food, water, air, leaded paint, and dust. The total amount of lead used in gasoline amounted to well over 200,000 tons a year.