Pollution Enforcement Dropping Substantially under Bush, New Study Finds

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

Enforcement of environmental laws by the EPA has declined dramatically under the Bush Administration, according to the new report "Paying Less to Pollute." The study was released Wednesday by the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), a non-partisan watchdog group.

"Over the past five years, environmental violators have been significantly less likely to face court action, be subject to criminal investigation, or pay civil or criminal penalties," the report found.

BuzzFlash participated in a conference call Wednesday morning with EIP founder Eric Schaeffer, who was the director of the EPA’s Office of Regulatory Enforcement until his 2002 resignation in protest of the Bush Administration’s efforts to weaken enforcement of environmental laws.

(click here to read Shaeffer's letter of resignation)

Schaeffer said that in comparison to President Clinton’s last few years, lawsuits against polluters have dropped by 70% under Bush. Civil penalties are down by 24%, criminal fines are down by 38%, and criminal investigations are currently at an eleven-year low.

Shaeffer blamed the declines on EPA staffing shortages, inconsistent policy goals, and weaker regulations and laws, particularly the so-called Clean Air Act. "I don’t think it’s because polluters have gotten nicer,” he said. “If you can’t find cases, it’s because you’re not looking."

Click here to read the report

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

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