EPA’s pandemic-related enforcement relaxation to end in August (1)

The EPA will end its relaxed enforcement policy in response to the coronavirus pandemic on Aug. 31, according to a publicly released memo.

Since the policy was put in place, new federal guidelines have been issued to support the public health response and economic recovery efforts, Susan Parker Bodine, the EPA’s assistant administrator for enforcement and compliance assistance, wrote in the memo dated Monday.

“As state and local restrictions are relaxed or lifted, so too may the restrictions that potentially impede regulatory compliance, reducing the circumstances in which the temporary policy may apply,” Bodine wrote.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced its temporary enforcement policy March 26. It stopped the agency from seeking penalties from those not performing routine environmental compliance monitoring, integrity testing, sampling, laboratory analysis, training, and reporting or certification activities if they were unable to do so because of the pandemic.

The EPA won’t base any exercise of enforcement discretion on that policy for any noncompliance that occurs after Aug. 31, Bodine’s memo said.

Adjustment Period

It also said that because some states are seeing an increase in coronavirus cases, “there will be a period of adjustment” as businesses plan how to comply with both their environmental legal obligations and with public health guidance.

The EPA also may end the temporary policy “at any earlier time,” in response to changing conditions in a state or region, Bodine wrote. Should that happen, the EPA will provide seven days’ public notice.

Share on Socials!

Related Articles

Related Articles

OSHA to withhold violation details: No more public “blaming and shaming”

Citations that OSHA inspectors issue to employers will no longer immediately be made available to the public on request, a change in policy that comes as ...
Read More

ASSP Foundation to create groundbreaking educational framework

The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) Foundation aims to break new ground in the way it helps occupational safety and health professionals advance their careers ...
Read More

Biden’s EPA expected to pass limits on some “forever chemicals”

The EPA under a future Biden administration is expected to quickly move to set regulations on “forever chemicals” in water and other areas, but not to ...
Read More

Follow IHW!

Leaders in Industrial Hygiene

 

AccuTec-IHS
BOWMAN Dispensers, LLC
ENMET
HafcoVac
ILC
Miller Electric
Nilfisk
OHD
SHOWA
TSI

 

Subscribe!

Sign up to receive our industry publications for FREE!

Industrial Hygiene

Construction Safety