"BOSTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's enforcement activities have dropped sharply since 2018, as criminal fines and civil penalties paid by polluters dropped to new lows, a Washington D.C. watchdog group said Friday in a report.

EPA enforcement activity, including criminal investigations and inspections, declined by about half between the 2018 and 2021 fiscal years, compared to the average yearly totals between 2002 and 2017, according to a study by the Environmental Integrity Project.

Civil penalties in 2018-2021 were at least 28% lower than during 2002-2017, while criminal fines declined 49%, after adjusting for inflation, the nonprofit group said."

Tim Mclaughlin reports for Reuters February 25, 2022. [2]