The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that it is seeking public feedback on its proposal to address environmental justice, climate change and PFAS contamination in its National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives (NECIs).
Every four years, the EPA chooses national initiatives to direct resources toward serious and widespread environmental issues where federal enforcement can make a difference. These initiatives’ primary goal is to protect human health and the environment by holding polluters accountable through enforcement and assisting regulated entities to return to compliance.
The agency said that it is proposing to continue four of the six current national initiatives during the FY 2024-2027 cycle and return two of the current national initiatives to the core enforcement and compliance program. In addition, EPA proposes to address environmental justice concerns in all NECIs, and to add two new NECIs on mitigating climate change and addressing PFAS pollution, for the FY 2024-2027 cycle.
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“The National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives identify serious environmental challenges where EPA can make a difference through a coordinated national approach,” said Larry Starfield, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “We look forward to receiving public comment on our proposals for FY 2024-2027, which include both familiar and emerging issues. Of particularly importance, we have built environmental justice considerations firmly into every initiative in order to protect vulnerable and overburdened communities.”
In selecting initiatives for the FY 2024-2027 cycle, EPA will consider the following three criteria to evaluate the existing and proposed new initiatives: 1) the need to address serious and widespread environmental issues and significant violations impacting human health and the environment, particularly in overburdened and vulnerable communities; 2) areas where federal enforcement can help ensure national consistency, promote a level playing field, and achieve compliance; and 3) alignment with the Agency’s Strategic Plan.
EPA is also taking comment on whether to add an NECI to address Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) pollution and/or lead contamination. The Agency is also accepting additional suggestions from the public.
While formal enforcement remains the key tool to address serious environmental problems and significant violations, as well as create general deterrence, EPA also uses a variety of compliance assurance tools to achieve this objective. To reflect this comprehensive approach, EPA has changed the name of its priority initiatives from “National Compliance Initiatives” (NCIs) to “National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives” (NECIs).
EPA is also soliciting comments on the proposed changes to the NECIs during a 60 public comment period.
Story was adapted from EPA.
