Criminal Enforcement

National Environmental Crime Prevention Week 6th Annual Observance April 17 - 21, 2007 Signs of Environmental Crime

President George W. Bush has sent a letter of greetings to those celebrating National Environmental Crime Prevention Week, noting that "the Environmental Protection Agency partners with communities and organizations to raise public awareness about the seriousness of environmental crime, signs of criminal activity, and the importance of reporting it to the proper authorities." Read the entire message (PDF) (1pg, 118K,About PDF). EPA continues to raise citizens' and the law enforcement community's awareness of the importance of recognizing and reporting environmental crimes through activities such as the recognition of National Environmental Crime Prevention Week. Planned Activities Recognizing Signs of Environmental Crimes Law Enforcement Organization Support Earth Day 2007 Report Environmental Violations

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Planned Activities for National Environmental Crime Prevention Week

Each year the EPA and the four regional environmental enforcement associations conduct training sessions, host exhibits, and make other presentations to enhance public awareness of and participation in reporting environmental crime. The week's events included:

• A presentation by EPA Special Agents at a Washington, DC school
• An exhibit and reception at the EPA Headquarters in Washington DC
• Training sessions conducted by the four regional environmental enforcement association members: The Northeast Environmental Enforcement Project (NEEP), Southern Environmental Enforcement Network (SEEN), Midwest Environmental Enforcement Association (MEEA) and The Western States Project
  • The Northeast Environmental Enforcement Project will sponsor a training conference in Manchester, New Hampshire, on April 23-25, 2007
  • The Western States Project will host its training conference in Reno, Nevada, on May 16-18, 2007

See 2007 Presentations for more information on these events.

For more information on the Regional Environmental Enforcement Association, visit the Criminal Enforcement program's Intergovernmental Partnership page.

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Recognizing the Signs of Environmental Crime

In your everyday life you may come across signs of environmental crime:

SIGNS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME

• Corroded, leaking or abandoned waste containers or signs of illegal dumping
• Fish kills or other dead animals
• Staining and/or stressed vegetation on the ground or staining around drains, sinks toilets or other wastewater outlets
• Foul smelling or unsightly discharges or visible sheens on the ground or water bodies and foul smelling or unsightly air emissions
• Piping or valves that would allow bypasses of wastewater treatment systems
• Demolition that may involve illegal removal of asbestos or other hazardous materials

If you see one of these signs, you should consider reporting a possible violation. Learn more about the Signs of Environmental Violations.

 

REMEMBER: SAFETY COMES FIRST

• If you are not sure that an area is safe, stay away
• Do not enter confined spaces or low-lying areas
• Do not lean over open waste containers, or kick, rock or puncture waste containers
• If trained to enter, wear appropriate protective gear
• Do not take samples unless trained
• Keep others away from the scene until assistance arrives
• Be sure to keep children and pets away
• Do not track toxic material into your car

For more information on environmental crime, see What is an Environmental Crime? or review the Report a Violation brochure. For information on who to contact see National Environmental Crime Prevention Week, April 2005.

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You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.

Law Enforcement Organizations Support of National Environmental Crime Prevention Week

Resolutions and declarations by many law enforcement and other organizations are submitted each year calling upon members to support the activities of National Environmental Crime Prevention Week and to carry the message all year long. Included in these groups are:

International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)	IACP Resolution (PDF) (1 pg, 55K)
Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA)	HAPCOA Resolution (PDF) (1 pg, 85K)
National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)	NOBLE Resolution (PDF) (1 pg, 30K)
National Black Police Association (NBPA)	NBPA Resolution (PDF) (1 pg, 126K)
Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE)	WIFLE Resolution (PDF) (1 pg, 14K)
Association of National Park Rangers (ANPR)	ANPR Resolution (PDF) (1 pg, 245K)

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Earth Day 2007

Visit EPA's Earth Day page for more information on what the Agency is doing and how you can help protect the environment every day.

For more information on the National Environmental Crime Prevention Week or how to become involved please Contact Us and a Special Agent will get back with you.

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Report Environmental Violations

The EPA investigates violations of the environmental statutes administered by the Agency where those statutes provide criminal sanctions (including the possibility of imprisonment) for negligent, knowing, or willful environmental crimes. To learn more about environmental violations, visit What is an Environmental Crime?

If you suspect a criminal violation has occurred, please Report an Environmental Violation.

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