Then an American marine biologist named Rachel Carson wrote a book. Silent Spring, that angered many farmers and chemical companies. carson claimed that DDT was carcinogenic-meaning it could lead to cancer. She also stated that DDT had negative affects on fish, wild birds and other wildlife. Silent Spring, published in 1962, caused the public to become aware of environmental contamination by pesticides.Her book caused such a debate that President Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency eight years later. The EPA's job was to regulate all chemicals and medication that might affect American consumers. Today, the controversy surrounding DDT and other pesticides used on food still exists.