The Inspector General for the Environmental Protection Agency will begin an investigation into the consistency and fairness of the agency’s enforcement actions, according to a letter drafted on Friday.
The IG will focus on EPA Region 7, which includes Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas. The investigation will address three questions, according to the letter:
What are the trends in enforcement results stemming from EPA enforcement actions, (injunctive relief, supplementary environmental projects and penalties) over time (2006-2011) and across regions?
How do enforcement results stemming from EPA enforcement actions in Region 7 compare to those in the rest of the EPA regions?
What are the key factors explaining differences in enforcement results stemming from EPA enforcement actions among EPA regions?
A staffer for Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) told Scribe that he requested the investigation in response to a constituent’s concerns. He hopes to ascertain whether enforcement actions in Region 7 have been more aggressive than in other regions.
Here is the full letter from EPA’s inspector general announcing the investigation: