Compliance and Enforcement News Release (Region 4): Record Annual Enforcement Results Achieved in the Southeast; New Mapping Tool Released

Record Annual Enforcement Results Achieved in the Southeast; New Mapping Tool Released

 

Contact Information: Davina Marraccini, (404) 562-8293, marraccini.davina@epa.gov

 

(ATLANTA – Dec. 28, 2009) Enforcement actions concluded in fiscal year (FY) 2009 by EPA in states across the Southeast will result in the investment of more than $2 billion by respondents in pollution control or cleanup, the largest amount ever achieved by EPA Region 4, and the reduction and treatment of more than 100 million pounds of pollutants. These significant achievements can be viewed by way of a new Web-based tool and interactive map that allows the public to access detailed information by location about these enforcement actions.

 

“EPA Region 4’s enforcement results speak for themselves and signal our commitment to take action against those who illegally pollute the environment in the Southeast," said Acting Regional Administrator Stan Meiburg. “This past year, we have achieved the greatest commitments to control or reduce pollution ever, and those will translate directly into better environmental and health protection for local communities.”

 

In FY 2009, EPA concluded enforcement actions requiring polluters to invest more than $5 billion nationally on pollution controls, cleanup and environmental projects. Nationally, civil and criminal defendants committed to install controls and take other measures to reduce pollution by approximately 580 million pounds once all required controls are fully implemented.

 

EPA’s new mapping tool allows the public to view the locations of facilities that were the subject of enforcement actions on interactive maps of the U.S. and territories. The maps show facilities where civil enforcement actions were taken for violations of environmental laws that protect against pollution of air, water and land. A separate map shows criminal enforcement actions.

 

Viewers can click on specific facilities to find historical information about the case, such as violations and monetary penalties. In addition, viewers can use the zoom function to find out which facilities are located near water bodies that are listed as "impaired” because they do not meet federal water quality standards. The new mapping tool will help increase transparency, improve access to data, and provide the public with the bigger picture of enforcement activity occurring in communities around the country.

 

EPA mapped the locations of more than 90 percent of the facilities that were the subject of enforcement actions last year. EPA did not map the locations of drinking water treatment plants due to potential security concerns.

 

More information on EPA Region 4’s enforcement and compliance results, including selected state-by-state highlights:

http://www.epa.gov/region4/ead/annual_results/index.html

 

EPA’s new Web-based enforcement tool and interactive map: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/reports/endofyear/eoy2009/index.html

 

 

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View all Region 4 News Releases

 

 

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