Penalties for SDWA and CWA violations
- Morgan, Lewis, and Bockius, Washington, DC (United States)
Although the number of enforcement actions against water suppliers to date has been limited, increasing regulations means that utilities are more likely to face US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) sanctions under the Safe Drinking Water Act and, to some extent, the Clean Water Act. In this article the author reviews possible criminal and civil actions the latter consisting of administrative and court actions and citizens' suits and briefly describes eight cases that exemplify various enforcement actions taken in the last few years. Large monetary penalties are not USEPA's usual goal in acting against a water supplier unless the supplier deliberately makes false reports. Instead, USEPA usually seeks to impose fines that match the amount a violator saved by not complying with regulations. Reorganization last fall at USEPA created the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, which indicates the agency's intention to streamline enforcement efforts.
- OSTI ID:
- 7239753
- Journal Information:
- Journal of the American Water Works Association; (United States), Vol. 86:2; ISSN 0003-150X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
H. R. 2587: A bill to amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act to authorize States to regulate the interstate transportation of solid waste, to authorize a private right of action to enforce any such regulation, and to require any such regulation to include certain civil and criminal penalties, introduced in the US House of Representatives, One Hundred Second Congress, First Session, June 7, 1991
Citizen suits against polluters: picking up the pace
Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
CLEAN WATER ACTS
ENFORCEMENT
DRINKING WATER
WATER QUALITY
CHARGES
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LAWS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION LAWS
WATER
540220* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety