Environmental Law

USEPA 2010 ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE RESULTS

By Walter James

The USEPA recently announced its annual enforcement and compliance results.  In its 2010 fiscal year, the USEPA took enforcement and compliance actions that require companies to pay more than $110,000,000.00 in civil penalties.  The USEPA also received commitments in these enforcement and compliance actions that would require these companies to spend an estimated $12,000,000,000.00 on pollution controls, cleanup, and environmental projects that benefit local  communities.  

Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA?s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, was quoted as stating: ?At EPA, we are dedicated to aggressively go after pollution problems that make a difference in our communities through vigorous civil and criminal enforcement.  Our commitment to environmental enforcement is grounded in the knowledge that people not only desire, but expect, the protection of the water they drink, the air they breathe and the communities they call home.?

The USEPA?s criminal enforcement program opened 346 new environmental crime cases in its 2010 Fiscal Year, which led to 289 defendants being charged with committing environmental crimes.  These numbers show an up-swing when compared to the last five years.  The report shows 198 convictions and $41,000,000.00 assessed in fines and restitution.

You can see the 2010 Fiscal Year results and the announcement message from Cynthia Giles at http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/reports/endofyear/eoy2010/index.html

More later.

As always, feel free to contact me via e-mail at walter.james@jamespllc.com.

WDJiii

Full post as published by Environmental Crimes Blog on December 07, 2010 (boomark / email).