"EPA’s enforcement of environmental laws was on the rise again this year, although not yet reaching the highs the agency attained in cracking down on polluters over the past decade.
EPA released its fiscal 2023 results for enforcement and compliance Monday, touting its focus on pollution long burdening marginalized communities across the country. Under the Biden administration, the agency has vowed to rebuild its enforcement program and broaden its scope after inspections as well as civil and criminal investigations tumbled during years of neglect.
Those metrics increased this year as EPA brought on new staff and a renewed focus in championing environmental justice.
Overall, EPA opened 199 criminal cases in fiscal 2023. That is a spike of 70 percent over the previous year and its highest total since fiscal 2020, according to data released by the agency.
In addition, EPA initiated 1,751 civil enforcement actions, nearly a hundred more than the year before and its most in a year since 2018. And at over 150 more than fiscal 2022, the agency reached 1,791 civil settlements, with 55 percent of those cases centering on facilities in communities with “potential [environmental justice] concerns.”"
Kevin Bogardus reports for E&E News December 18, 2023.
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