New developments in enviromental enforcement : U.S. EPA increases enforcement activity

摘要

The EPA is increasing its enforcement activity,providing a strong incentive for companies to examine their envi-ronmental compliance and ensure that they will be able towithstand agency scrutiny. The increased enforcement is due toseveral factors: new or re-evaluated EPA rules, policies andguidance documents; leveraging the agency's enforcement responsepolicy to force state agencies to settle local issues within 150 days,coupled with a federal effort to drive states to seek recoupment ofany economic benefit resulting from a violation; and a shift awayfrom its prior emphasis on specific media (eg, air, water and waste)to focus on the development of integrated plans addressing the fullrange of environmental issues within specific communities andindustries such as iron and steelor cokemaking.