EPA Enforcement Continues Decline

Federal enforcement of environmental laws and regulations dropped significantly last year, according to EPA’s “Enforcement and Compliance Annual Results” report for 2013, which was released on Feb. 7. Results showed a 20% drop in civil enforcement cases and a 10% decline in federal inspections, for instance. According to the document, the decline in inspections was due to budget cuts as well as a decision by EPA last year to focus on larger facilities. Also, the report finds, the estimated value of EPA requirements for companies to invest in new equipment to control pollution continued its three-year decline. The only actual enforcement-related increase was in administrative and civil judicial penalties assessed by the federal government, according to the report. In that case, nearly all of the total increase was because of a $1.1 billion settlement reached with Transocean for its liability in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico oil spill.