EPA Discusses Current Compliance, Enforcement Priorities and Initiatives
At the recent KDHE Environmental Conference, Dave Cozad, Director of the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division with Region VII EPA gave an updat...
At the recent KDHE Environmental Conference, Dave Cozad, Director of the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division with Region VII EPA gave an update outlining EPA’s upcoming compliance and enforcement priorities.
⚡ TL;DR: EPA enforcement priorities include methane emissions, facility safety programs, and sector-specific violations. Real enforcement activity is accelerating despite budget uncertainty.
Compliance Inspections & Public Posting of Reports
EPA was scheduled to go back out to do more onsite inspections, but the resurgence of COVID put a delay on that. For the past year they had been doing some announced remote inspections to evaluate compliance. However, unannounced inspections will eventually resume. Inspectors will have Smart Tables preloaded before they go onsite. Their goal is for the report of findings be available in less than 60 days after inspection. One important comment made was that EPA is working on implementing the public posting of inspection reports. That is, what is found at your site during an inspection and what’s on your report will eventually be available for anyone to see.
⚠️ What’s at stake: Noncompliance with federal environmental regulations results in significant civil and criminal penalties, operational shutdowns, and facility remediation costs that can exceed millions of dollars.
Executive Orders Provide Roadmap
EPA has been given several directives through Executive Orders (EOs), and the issues EPA will focus on will very much be related to these.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is EPA planning to increase facility compliance inspections after pandemic delays?
Yes. EPA Region VII previously conducted remote announced inspections during COVID-19 disruptions but has resumed planning for unannounced on-site facility inspections. EPA inspectors are now equipped with smart tables preloaded with facility information before arrival. EPA aims to provide detailed inspection reports within 60 days of on-site visits. The increased inspection activity reflects EPA’s return to active enforcement and compliance verification at industrial facilities. iSi Environmental helps facilities prepare for EPA inspections through pre-inspection audits and compliance assessments.
Q: Will EPA inspection reports be made publicly available?
Yes. EPA is implementing public posting of facility inspection reports, making detailed findings from environmental inspections available online for public access. This transparency initiative means compliance problems, citations, and facility conditions documented during EPA inspections will be visible to competitors, customers, and community members. Facilities with publicly posted inspection reports showing violations may face reputational damage, customer pressure, and community scrutiny. iSi Environmental helps facilities prevent inspection violations and resolve any issues identified before reports become public.
Q: How do Executive Orders shape EPA enforcement priorities?
EPA’s compliance and enforcement priorities are established through Executive Orders that direct agency focus on specific environmental issues. Executive Orders provide the agency roadmap for regulatory priorities, enforcement approaches, and resource allocation. Agency directors align inspection frequency, citation authority, and regulatory development with Executive Order directives. Understanding current Executive Order priorities helps facilities anticipate which operations will receive the most EPA scrutiny. iSi Environmental tracks EPA enforcement priorities and helps facilities in Kansas and Oklahoma address the highest-priority compliance areas.
Q: What can facilities do to prepare for announced or unannounced EPA inspections?
Facilities should conduct comprehensive environmental compliance self-audits before EPA inspections, ensuring hazardous waste management, air permits, wastewater discharge, stormwater controls, and chemical inventories are compliant. Documentation of compliance measures, training records, and maintenance should be organized and accessible. Environmental compliance staff should be trained on inspection procedures and cooperation protocols. Facilities should address any known deficiencies before EPA arrives. iSi Environmental conducts pre-inspection audits to help facilities identify and correct potential violations.
Not sure where your facility stands with current regulations? iSi Environmental helps manufacturing facilities and industrial operations understand their compliance obligations and close operational gaps. Get started with a compliance assessment.
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