National Enforcement and Compliance Priority Discussion Forum

Are you interested in collaborating with EPA on setting our environmental priorities?

Is protecting the environment by enforcing and complying with Federal laws and regulations important to you?

Help EPA chart a new course in the 2011-2013 fiscal years.  We are interested in hearing your views on areas to focus our enforcement and compliance activities in the future.

EPA typically sets national enforcement and compliance priorities every three years that direct work toward the most pressing environmental problems. Our national priorities include significant environmental problems that are occurring nation-wide, and that have frequent on-going violations of Federal environmental laws.

Our current 2008-2010 national enforcement and compliance assurance priorities are listed below.  Find out more about each priority.

• Air toxics
• Air emissions from industrial facilities, also known as Clean Air Act New Source Review Prevention of Significant Deterioration (NSR/PSD)
• Combined sewer overflows
• Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)
• Financial responsibility for hazardous waste site clean-up
• Indian Country
• Mineral processing
• Sanitary sewer overflows
• Stormwater

To learn more about how we selected our existing 2008-2010 priorities, see our Web site on the National Priorities for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

Topic List for Commenting

We have created a few topics to help focus this discussion on determining enforcement and compliance assurance priorities. Select a topic that interests you and let us know what you think.  Later in the fall, EPA expects to open a second round of public input, to close on December 1.

1. EPA’s selection criteria for priorities
2. Suggestions for future environmental priorities
3. Providing Information for Public Use

Note: To comment, select a topic.  Use the Leave a Comment on this Question to comment.

EPA uses the following criteria to help determine our priorities for enforcement and compliance assurance activities:

• Scope: the environmental problem is significant in nature and occurs nation-wide
• Non-compliance: frequent, on-going violations of Federal environmental laws
• Role: appropriate role for Federal government

Question to Consider:

1. What other selection criteria should EPA consider? Leave a Comment on this Question

Note: The option to comment on the entire post or set of questions has been disabled. Use the Leave a Comment on this Question to comment.

We are particularly interested in your suggestions for future priorities that meet the following selection criteria:

• Scope: the environmental problem is significant in nature and occurs nation-wide
• Non-compliance: frequent, on-going violations of Federal environmental laws
• Role: appropriate role for Federal government

It would be helpful if you could share the reasons why you think that a particular problem is significant from your perspective.  Also, sharing any information sources such as news articles, or reports about environmental issues that discuss the environmental problem you are concerned about will be helpful too.

Questions to Consider:

1. What are the most important environmental compliance problems that occur nation-wide? What makes these problems significant? Leave a Comment on this Question
2. Which, if any, of our existing national priorities should remain a priority for EPA and why? Our existing priorities are listed below.  Learn more about them. Leave a Comment on this Question

• Air toxics
• Air emissions from industrial facilities, also known as Clean Air Act New Source Review Prevention of Significant Deterioration (NSR/PSD)
• Combined sewer overflows
• Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)
• Financial responsibility for hazardous waste site clean-up
• Indian Country
• Mineral processing
• Sanitary sewer overflows
• Stormwater

Note: The option to comment on the entire post or set of questions has been disabled. Use the Leave a Comment on this Question to comment.

An informed public is our best ally in pressing for better compliance with federal regulations.

Questions to Consider:

1. What additional compliance or enforcement information would you like to see on our Web site for National Priorities for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance? Leave a Comment on this Question
2. How can EPA make information on national priorities easier for the public to understand? Leave a Comment on this Question
3. How can EPA best demonstrate progress made in accomplishing national priority goals? Leave a Comment on this Question

Note: The option to comment on the entire post or set of questions has been disabled. Use the Leave a Comment on this Question to comment.