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Compliance and Enforcement Annual Results:
Important Environmental Problems / National Priorities
FY2006 Annual Results Topics
EPA regularly consults with states and other stakeholders to identify areas where widespread noncompliance with federal regulations results in degradation of human health and the environment.
In support of Goal 5 of EPA's 2005-2007 Strategic Plan, EPA has made several important problems national priorities for compliance and enforcement activities. Cumulatively, the efforts under the National Priorities are responsible for 74% of the total pollutant reductions and 71% of the value of injunctive relief achieved by the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA). Performance-based strategies were developed to address:
Toxic air pollutants are those pollutants that are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive or birth defects, or adverse environmental impacts. These pollutants come from a wide variety of sources, including industrial and utility operations, as well as smaller manufacturing and commercial sources.
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
During wet weather events, water flows from animal feedlots transport nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as other pollutants including bacteria, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, and trace elements including metals to local waterways. Impact on ecosystems and human health include contamination of public drinking water sources and private well water, recreational and commercial fish kills and advisories, and beach closings.
Combined Sewer Overflows and Sanitary Sewer Overflows
Combined sewer overflows and sanitary sewer overflows cause environmental problems when heavy rainfall exceeds the storage capacity of pipes and/or water treatment plants, discharging untreated sewage, stormwater, toxic materials, and industrial wastewater into rivers, lakes, and oceans. Bacteria, pathogens, nutrients, untreated industrial wastes, oil, pesticides, wastewater solids, and debris enter waterways when overflows occur, causing human health risks including diseases that range in severity from mild gastroenteritis to life-threatening ailments such as cholera and infectious hepatitis.
Burning coal to produce electric power releases nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and other harmful air pollutants. These pollutants contribute to respiratory illness and heart disease, contribute to formation of acid rain, reduce visibility, and can be transported over long distances before falling on land or water.
Annual air emissions from the petroleum refining sector include volatile organic compounds, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter. The air pollutants released contribute to respiratory illness and heart disease, contribute to formation of acid rain, reduce visibility, and can be transported over long distances before falling on land or water.
Stormwater runoff transports water carrying contaminants directly over land into waterways from large urban areas, construction sites, and municipal separate storm sewer systems, and is one of the leading causes of water quality impairment. Typical stormwater pollutants that impair waterways include sediment, bacteria, organic nutrients, hydrocarbons, metals, oil, and grease.
Below is a table highlighting the results from OECA's national priorities.
For more information on OECA's national priorities visit National Priorities for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
Annual Results by Fiscal Year
FY2006 | FY2005 | FY2004 | FY2003 | FY2002 | FY2001 | FY2000 | FY1999