The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has allowed the number of
its criminal investigators to drop below levels mandated by Congress.
As Tracy Samilton reports, former EPA officials say that could hurt
enforcement activities across the nation:
Transcript
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has allowed the number of
its criminal investigators to drop below levels mandated by Congress.
As Tracy Samilton reports, former EPA officials say that could hurt
enforcement activities across the nation:
Criminal investigators at the Environment Protection Agency carry guns
and track down the most serious environmental violators. The agency is
required by law to employ at least 200 agents but currently the number
is only 174.
Eric Shaeffer is a former EPA official. He says most states don’t have
criminal investigators, so the EPA’s agents are crucial in keeping
companies honest. He says a good example is the EPA’s recent
prosecution of a Citgo refinery for benzene pollution:
“So they got nailed by a criminal investigation, and
they got convicted, and that’s really important because that sends a
message to the entire industry.”
Congress is now investigating the EPA’s division of investigators.
For the Environment Report, I’m Tracy Samilton.