Note: This information is provided for reference purposes only. Although the information provided here was accurate and current when first created, it is now outdated.

"We should have learnt by now that laws and court decisions can only point the way." - Hubert Humphrey

At EPA in New England, the new Office of Environmental Stewardship (OES) is the focal point for encouraging and rewarding responsible environmental management by industry and other regulated entities -- and for enforcing the law against those who do not act responsibly. The Assistance and Pollution Prevention Unit, the largest organization of its kind in the country, provides technical and regulatory assistance to industry and the public sector that we regulate -- cities, towns and other agencies. In addition to encouraging environmental compliance, this team promotes pollution prevention, the development and use of innovative environmental technologies, and advanced environmental management systems through partnerships with states and those we regulate. The Enforcement Unit of OES enforces the nation's environmental laws -- combining strong, targeted enforcement with settlement strategies designed to provide direct benefits to the public and the environment of New England. The EPA enforcement staff work in cross-media teams of attorneys and technical experts -- teams that look at air, water and waste as interconnected rather than as separate from one another -- which are organized around industrial sectors, sensitive ecosystems and other priority areas.