Enforcement


32-Month Sentence for EPA Employee's Fraud

John Beale, a former senior policy advisor in the agency's Office of Air and Radiation, had pleaded guilty to stealing government money. He has agreed to pay about $890,000 in restitution and about $500,000 to DOJ in criminal forfeiture.

INTERPOL Issues Purple Notice on Rogue Fishing Vessel

The ship, currently believed to be called "Thunder," allegedly has sailed under several flags recently to avoid detection of illegal fishing activities.

U.S. drinking water system operators have been preparing for the federal lead-free law to take effect in January 2014. Four states already have laws in place that comply with or exceed its requirements.

Drinking Water Providers Getting the Lead Out

The Reduction Act calls for reducing lead in new products, new installations, and repairs of systems that deliver drinking water. It takes effect in January 2014.

UN to Coal Industry: Radically Change and Diversify

Citing fiduciary responsibility to workforce and shareholders, UN’s Figueres urges coal industry “look past next quarter’s bottom line and see the next generation’s bottom line.”.

Shreveport Agrees to $342 Million Sewer System Upgrade

"The key provisions of this settlement will eliminate overflows of raw sewage in neighborhoods that have for too long been subject to these contaminated overflows," said Acting U.S. Assistant Attorney General Robert G. Dreher.

EPA Fines School Bus Company $33K for Excessive Idling

Idling buses burn about one-half gallon of diesel per hour, pose health hazard to kids & drivers and spew greenhouse gas unnecessarily

Coyote Land Company Cleanup Completed

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced nearly 20,000 cubic yards of solid waste at the Panama City site has been cleaned up, and it is no longer an environmental hazard.

Safeway Agrees to Reduce Emissions

"This first-of-its-kind settlement will benefit all Americans by cutting emissions of ozone-depleting substances across Safeway's national supermarket chain," added Robert G. Dreher, acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division.



Pennsylvania Proposes New Oil and Gas Regulations

The Environmental Quality Board approves a plan that will make regulations on oil and gas activity stronger.

New Zealand Raises Oil Pollution Levy

The levy has been increased for the first time in 15 years to ensure the country has sufficient resources and equipment to respond to a major oil spill.

BP Sues US for Ban on New Contracts

BP seeks injunction that would lift an order by the EPA suspending BP from future contracts days after BP tried to block claim payments to Gulf businesses.

EPA Updates Oil and Gas Standards for Storage Tanks

EPA updates oil and gas storage tank standards, requiring tanks that emit six or more tons of VOC annually to reduce emissions 95 percent between April 2014 to 2015 and further allows control removal on tanks that demonstrate emitting less than four tons of VOC annually.

Council to Vote on Gulf Restoration Plan

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council will meet Aug. 28 to vote on what's called the "Initial Comprehensive Plan."

Lawsuit Filed Against ExxonMobil for Pegasus Oil Spill in Arkansas

The state of Arkansas and the United States have filed a joint complain against ExxonMobil Pipeline Company and ExxonMobil for the for the heavy crude oil spill that took place from the Pegasus Pipeline in Mayflower, Ark. on March 29, 2013.

Huge Wal-Mart CWA Settlement Announced

"As one of the largest retailers in the United States, Wal-Mart is responsible not only for the stock on its shelves, but also for the significant amount of hazardous materials that result from damaged products returned by customers," said Melinda Haag, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California.

The Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund Launched Today

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has kicked off the Gulf Environmental Fund today, in which the foundation will execute $2.544 billion in plea agreements from the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

A Garfield County RS 2477 claim in Capitol Reef National Park. (photo copyright Ray Bloxham)

Recent Surge in 'Ghost Roads' Litigation Threatens National Parks and Other Federally Protected Lands

Unfortunately for many existing and proposed federal reserves in Utah and elsewhere, the legal threshold to establish an R.S. 2477 claim is minimal.

EPA Challenged on Use of Discredited Consultants' Research

ARPN calls on policymakers to investigate EPA's longstanding relationship with a consulting firm that admitted to falsifying environmental assessments.

SEMS II Rule Mandates Stop Work Authority

Released by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement last week, the final rule will take effect June 4 and expands on the initial Safety and Environmental Management Systems rule issued in October 2010.

April Meeting for Uranium Contamination of Navajo Nation

The EPA, Navajo Nation, other federal agencies, and organization will be having a meeting on April 16-17 in order to address the uranium contamination on the Navajo Nation.

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