While non-industry sources might think that the EPA has become a paper tiger, it is anything but for companies with stormwater runoff, air pollution, or water pollution issues. The Agency has decided it gets the most bang for the buck with high-profile citations, according to Enviro.BLR.com.
Old Saybrook, CT (PWREB) January 20, 2005 –- If you read the general press it would be easy to draw the conclusion that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a toothless tiger.
But Steve Quilliam, editor at Enviro.BLR.com – Making State Environmental Compliance Easier, says, The truth is that the EPA is very interested in enforcement, particularly in storm water runoff, and in air and water pollution." Quilliam notes, the EPA is looking for high-profile cases that give its enforcement activities the greatest bang for the buck. Companies with hazardous waste issues should take steps to prepare now, before an inspector arrives, and a highly publicized citation results."
The Agencys enforcement strategy comes as budgets for programs like Superfund have been cut, and the Bush administration has made other moves unpopular with environmental groups.
EPA Enforcement Activity Increased
Enviro.BLR.com, a website for environmental managers, reports that EPA enforcement statistics for FY 2004 show a very busy Agency. It conducted 21,000 inspections during the year, up 11% over FY 2003. Those inspections resulted in dramatically more penalties, with 2,248 civil administrative penalty actions finalized — a whopping 32% increase. Criminal charges, certainly the worst nightmare for corporate environmental executives, also jumped: 293 criminal defendants were charged with environmental crimes during the year, 46 more than in FY 2003.
State Environmental Compliance an Issue
Quilliam points out that the federal EPA is not the only agency enforcing environmental laws. Most states have their own complicated environmental regulations for business to comply with." Fortunately, Business & Legal Reports, Inc.s plain-English website, Enviro.BLR.com, features plain-English interpretations of all federal and state regulations. Arranged by topic and including hundreds of tools like checklists and inspection forms, the website simplifies the job of complying with complex regulations.
Enviro.BLR.com offers a free download of its informative White Paper, Regulatory Analysis – Inspections," with detailed advice on how to prepare for an EPA inspection. To get this download go to http://www.blr.com/80502500/WBE402 , or call 800-727-5257.
About BLR
Old Saybrook, Conn.-based BLR provides plain-English compliance and training tools for environmental, safety, HR, and compensation managers. For information and a free catalog, call 800-727-5257 or visit www.BLR.com.
Contacts:
BLR Editor:
Steve Quilliam
editorial@blr.com
(860)510-0100-2148
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