Setting National Priorities for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
Are you interested in playing a role in setting priorities with EPA? Do you have an interest in the compliance and enforcement of environmental laws? I’d like to tell you about an exciting opportunity to share your feedback with EPA on the environmental problems that are most important to you.
EPA is in the process of selecting new priorities to focus our enforcement and compliance work in 2011-2013. As part of this process, we would like to collect a wide range of views from the public on the most important environmental problems that occur nationwide. It would also be helpful if you could share a little bit about the reasons why you think that a particular problem is significant from your perspective. For example, if you considered any particular pieces of information, such as news articles, or reports about environmental issues, please send us information about those sources of information as well.
Our decisions regarding future priorities will consider the following key questions:
- Is the environmental problem happening nationwide or only in an isolated area?
- Does the environmental problem offer an opportunity for EPA, rather than a state, to play a major role in environmental protection?
- Does the environmental problem happen frequently because the source emitting the pollution is not following the requirements of environmental laws and regulations?
Here’s how to get started:
- Learn more about EPA’s enforcement and compliance work, our existing 2008-2010 priorities, and how we selected these priorities as focus areas, and
- Visit our discussion forum to submit your feedback by September 30.
About the Author: Elizabeth Walsh joined the US Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC in 2001. She currently works on setting national priorities with EPA’s enforcement and compliance assurance program and analyzing environmental data to help EPA set long-term environmental goals.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Lois M. Ellis 2009-09-16 10:39:29 I live within a radius of five to seven building that has possible asbestos and these building have been standing for years. They need to be destroyed/torn down, whatever it takes! 1. Public Safety 2. Training for deconstruction 3. Deconstruct the buildings 4. Planting trees is a excellent source to control greenhouse gas emissions and they add beautify.
A few years ago a California businessman pushed legislation for the right to dump industrial waste into the Pacific Ocean. It failed, but he was only asking for legal approval for a long standing practice, and by this time everyone knows about the gigantic, swirling “garbage patch” in the Pacific. Obviously then, whatever laws may apply, they’re not being enforced. So, how much garbage can life in the oceans survive? We are finding out after the fact.
The EPA is not the soultiton it is the problem. Please pay attention as I am only going to say this once.CO2 IS NOT POLLUTITON! Anyone who thinks so is a complete IDiot! There will be no “cliamate change” lies told to my Grandchildren at school because I will be there to stop you!