Criminal Enforcement

EPA's criminal enforcement program uses stringent sanctions, including jail sentences, to promote deterrence and help ensure compliance in order to protect human health and the environment. Criminal enforcement is often used against the most serious environmental violations as well as those which involve egregious negligence or conduct involving intentional, willful or knowing disregard of the law.

Civil Enforcement brings polluters into compliance with environmental laws without the use of criminal sanctions and Cleanup Enforcement ensures remediation or cleanup of a waste site or facility, including Superfund sites.

Criminal Enforcement Annual Results 2009 Fiscal Year

In FY 2009, the criminal enforcement program significantly exceeded FY 2008 levels for the number of new environmental crime cases opened, number of defendants charged, years of incarceration, and amount of fines/restitution. More Information ...

For the first time in the program's history, criminal enforcement results were posted online in an interactive map. The map shows criminal cases prosecuted under federal environmental statutes and applicable sections of the U.S. Criminal Code, as well as cases in which EPA's criminal enforcement program provided significant support to cases that were prosecuted under state criminal laws. More Information...

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• Corporation pleads guilty to storing hazardous waste without a permit (PDF) (2 pp, 46K About PDF) - Feb. 3
• Terryville manufacturer who violated the federal Clean Water Act is sentenced (PDF) (2 pp, 28K About PDF) - Feb. 1
• Resident of Nashua, New Hampshire pleads guilty to making false statement to EPA (PDF) (2 pp, 35K About PDF) - Jan. 26

Investigations
The EPA investigates allegations of criminal wrongdoing prohibited by various environmental statutes.
EPA Fugitives | Special Agents | Remembering Our Fallen Agents | Signs of Environmental Violations | What is an Environmental Crime? | More...

Homeland Security
Interagency coordination mechanism and management structure to be employed by federal agencies in response to domestic and international terrorism.
Crisis Management | Consequence Management | Counter Terrorism | More...

Intergovernmental Partnerships
Alliances of regulatory and law enforcement organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada that promote the effective enforcement.
Environmental Crimes Task Force | National Environmental Crime Prevention Week | More...

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