After years of decline, the Biden administration says environmental enforcement is on the upswing
by Matthew Daly and Michael Phillis
Dec 18, 2023
3 minutes
The Environmental Protection Agency conducted more on-site inspections of polluting industrial sites this year than any time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency said Monday as it seeks to reinvigorate its enforcement program after more than a decade of budget cuts.
EPA opened nearly 200 criminal investigations this year, a 70% increase over 2022, the agency said in a report. It completed nearly 1,800 civil settlements, a 9% increase over 2022. More than half the inspections and settlements involved poor and disadvantaged communities long administration's emphasis on environmental justice issues.
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