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Thursday, February 19, 2009
Environment - Impact of IDEM enforcement changes?
Today US EPA Region 5 officials visit the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to discuss, among other things, changes in IDEM enforcement policy, which appear to have been phasing in over the past few months. Here is a story from yesterday's Gary Post-Tribune about the visit.
The changes included abolishing the Office of Enforcement and dividing the responsibility between the Offices of Air, Water, and Waste. Plus, changes to the enforcement policy itself. According to the P-T, "IDEM's proposed enforcement policy would make IDEM less likely to enforce against a facility for permit violations -- unless the violation causes actual harm to someone's health or the environment."
Even with this knowledge, I was astonished this week when I obtained the list of Notices of Violation and Agreed Orders issued by IDEM for the month of January, 2009. First, instead of a combined list from the now-defunct Enforcement Office, I received only a list from the Air Office. I don't know if this means the other two offices did nothing in January, or if they have just stopped issuing information to the public.
Second, the Air list for January 2009 consists of 4 Notices of Violation, and 1 Agreed Order. Contrast this to January 2008 - 12 NOVs, 8 AOs; January 2007 - 9 NOVs, 8 AOs.
For background, start with this ILB entry from Jan. 22nd, headed "Environment - U.S. EPA raises concerns about IDEM changes."
Posted by Marcia Oddi on February 19, 2009 07:28 AM
Posted to Environment