James M. Jeffords: “I am a cosponsor of the Lautenberg- Mikulski amendment increasing funding for the enforcement activities of the…”

“I am a cosponsor of the Lautenberg- Mikulski amendment increasing funding for the enforcement activities of the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. I would like to voice my strong support for this amendment. Without effective enforcement, our environmental laws will never succeed in reducing pollution and improving environmental quality. Simply put, the best environmental laws in the world mean nothing without vigorous enforcement. Unfortunately, this administration does not share this sentiment. Just last week, the administration directed the EPA to abandon ongoing investigations of some 50 different facilities for violations of the Clean Air Act's New Source Review provisions. Apparently, gutting the rule itself was not enough. Pardons for big polluters--many of them large political contributors--seem to be the administration's preferred approach to environmental enforcement. Lack of enforcement is hardly confined to the Clean Air Act. Indeed, a recent report from the EPA inspector general reveals an Agency failing to keep up with its enforcement duties across a number of different programs. According to the report, a majority of special agents-in-charge of environmental crimes states that they will not open a new case if they lack the resources necessary to pursue the case. In addition, formal enforcement actions under several key Clean Water Act programs have declined dramatically over the last 3 years.”