Environmental Justice, as an urgent policy priority of the Federal Government, dates back to 1994, and President Clinton’s issuance of Executive Order 12898. This order directed federal.
The EPA highlighted in its 2022-2026 Strategic Plan that it intends to enhance the use of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to embed environmental justice and civil rights in the Agency’s core work and to strengthen civil rights enforcement in communities overburdened by pollution.
On July 1, 2021, EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance issued a memorandum to all EPA Regional Offices urging the offices to increase cleanup program enforcement under CERCLA and RCRA, particularly at sites that .
Strengthening Environmental Justice Through Criminal Enforcement (June 21, 2021). All of these are intended to implement the dictates of Executive Order 14008 and Administrator Regan’s follow-on April 7, 2021 direction that all EPA offices should strengthen enforcement of environmental statutes in pollution-burdened communities.
The Cleanup Enforcement Memo sets forth potential specific actions under five general objectives:
Require responsible parties to take early cleanup actions
Ensure prompt cleanup actions by responsible parties
Improve enforcement instruments
Build trust and capacity through community engagement
Key Takeaways
EPA Headquarters is encouraging each Regional Office to be more aggressive with its available enforcement tools to expedite cleanup work at sites in or near overburdened communities. While these tools have been available for some time, this Administration is taking steps to prioritize enforcement in a way that distinguishes it from the previo
Strengthening Environmental Justice Through Criminal Enforcement (June 21, 2021). All of these are intended to implement the dictates of Executive Order 14008 and Administrator Regan’s follow-on April 7, 2021 direction that all EPA offices should strengthen enforcement of environmental statutes in pollution-burdened communities.
The Cleanup Enforcement Memo sets forth potential specific actions under five general objectives:
Require responsible parties to take early cleanup actions
Ensure prompt cleanup actions by responsible parties
Improve enforcement instruments
Build trust and capacity through community engagement
Key Takeaways
EPA Headquarters is encouraging each Regional Office to be more aggressive with its available enforcement tools to expedite cleanup work at sites in or near overburdened communities. While these tools have been available for some time, this Administration is taking steps to prioritize enforcement in a way that distinguishes it from the previo