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ExpectMore.govExpectMore.gov home pageEXPECT FEDERAL PROGRAMS TO PERFORM WELL, AND BETTER EVERY YEAR.
 
Program Assessment

Program

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EPA Enforcement of Environmental Laws (Civil)

EPA's civil enforcement program enforces Federal environmental laws to protect human health and the environment. EPA undertakes direct Federal action (inspections, investigations, compliance assistance and incentives) as well as assisting and overseeing State, tribal and local partners to ensure environmental compliance.

Rating

What This Rating Means

PERFORMING
Adequate

This rating describes a program that needs to set more ambitious goals, achieve better results, improve accountability or strengthen its management practices.
  • The program's outcome measure, pounds of pollutants reduced, needs to be characterized as to risk, so that enforcement can focus on the most harmful pollutants first. Meaningful baselines and targets need to be developed for this program. Currently, the variation in baseline exceeds 500%, thus making it difficult to measure progress.
  • Incomplete data about compliance, including compliance rates, hampers meaningful assessment of the problems faced by the program. This could result in inappropriate targeting of program resources.

Improvement Plan

About Improvement Plans

We are taking the following actions to improve the performance of the program:

  • Creating a meaningful baseline and targets for pounds of pollutants reduced, that acknowledges the risk associated with the type of pollutant reduced.
  • Expanding and improving use of statistically valid non-compliance rates, to better target the program's resources, and determine which enforcement tools work best.
  • Directing funds towards completion of the Permit Compliance System to obtain better data on compliance with water permits.

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