April 14, 2016

New National Enforcement Initiatives Announced

EPA has announced its FY 2017–2019 National Enforcement Initiatives, which focus the agency’s enforcement efforts on the nation’s biggest pollution challenges. Two new areas of focus have been added, one has been expanded, and four were retained from the previous list. These seven initiatives start October 1 and include:

Keeping industrial pollutants out of the nation’s waters (new);
Reducing risks of accidental releases at industrial and chemical facilities (new);
Cutting hazardous air pollutants (expanded by adding large storage tanks and hazardous waste facilities);
Reducing air pollution from the largest sources;
Ensuring energy extraction sector compliance with environmental laws;
Keeping raw sewage and contaminated storm water out of our nation’s waters; and
Preventing animal waste from contaminating surface and ground water.

EPA’s enforcement priorities are based on areas of the environmental regulations where the agency believes there is significant noncompliance. Additional detail can be found at EPA’s National Enforcement Initiatives website.

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This document addresses issues of a general nature related to the federal RCRA regulations. Persons evaluating specific circumstances dealing with the RCRA regulations should review state and local laws and regulations, which may be more stringent than federal requirements. In addition, the assistance of a qualified professional should be enlisted to address any site-specific circumstances.