National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives
EPA focuses its enforcement and compliance assurance resources on the most serious environmental violations by developing and implementing national program priorities, called National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives (NECIs). The NECIs are in addition to the EPA’s core enforcement work, including protecting clean and safe water, reducing air pollution, and protecting safe and healthy land. The six FY 2020-2023 NECIs are listed below.
These six NECIs advance the Agency’s Strategic Plan objective to improve compliance with our nation’s environmental laws in partnership with states and federally recognized Indian tribes with authorized environmental programs. Formal enforcement remains the key tool to address serious noncompliance and create general deterrence, and EPA also uses informal enforcement, compliance monitoring, self-audits, and compliance assistance to advance the NECIs. EPA began incorporating environmental justice and evaluating opportunities to address climate change in its implementation of the NECIs in 2021.
While not an NECI, the enforcement and compliance assurance program also contributes to the Agency’s goal of reducing childhood lead exposures and associated health impacts as part of implementing the Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposure.
Air
- Creating Cleaner Air for Communities by Reducing Excess Emissions of Harmful Pollutants
- Stopping Aftermarket Defeat Devices for Vehicles and Engines
Hazardous Chemicals
- Reducing Hazardous Air Emissions from Hazardous Waste Facilities
- Reducing Risks of Accidental Releases at Industrial and Chemical Facilities