Criminal Enforcement Overview
EPA’s criminal enforcement program pursues individual and corporate defendants who have committed serious environmental crimes by providing:
- Federal, state and local prosecutors with the evidence needed to prosecute environmental crimes
- Environmental forensic analyses and technical evaluations for both civil and criminal enforcement
- Computer evidence retrieval and evaluation
- Expert legal advice and counsel to EPA, U.S. Attorneys and the Department of Justice
EPA's criminal enforcement program was established in 1982 and was granted full law enforcement authority by Congress in 1988. Today the program has more than 350 specially trained investigators, chemists, engineers, technicians, lawyers, and support staff. From that number EPA has:
- 200 fully authorized federal law enforcement agents. Read more about what it takes to be a Special Agent.
- 70 forensic scientists and technicians. Read more on the National Enforcement Investigations Center (NEIC).
- 45 attorneys who specialize in environmental crimes enforcement.
Get Involved / Get Informed
Report possible environmental violations to EPA
www.epa.gov/tips
EPA is looking for these fugitives. Report information at www.epa.gov/fugitives.
More Information
- EPA’s criminal enforcement program
- Environmental laws and regulations
- Criminal Provisions of Environmental Laws
- Interactive map of enforcement actions concluded in 2015
- EPA careers – (Apply for all federal jobs - www.usajobs.gov)
- Contact information for Criminal Enforcement Offices across the United States