Before EPA regulations, air and water pollution shaped life across the US. See what American cities looked like then.

Before EPA regulations, air and water pollution shaped life across the US. See what American cities looked like then.

A photograph from 1972 shows how "industry has changed the face of the San Francisco Bay Area," according to the EPA.Belinda Rain/EPABefore President Nixon created the EPA in 1970, water and air pollution weren't a federal priority.Photos of cities including Baltimore, Denver, and New York show hazy skies and polluted waterways.The Trump administration has moved to roll back environmental regulations.Don't let the soft, sepia tones fool you — th…