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EcoRadio KC
EcoRadio KC is a magazine show, including live segments, prerecorded stories, and interviews. The weekly explores our interdependence with the rest of the world, showing the connections between the ways we choose to live and the health of the whole community of life.
On our show for May 1st, host Craig Lubow will speak with his guest, Eric Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), where he has served as Executive Director since he co-founded the organization in 2002. Previously, Eric served as director of EPA’s Office of Civil Enforcement from 1997 to 2002, where he received a Presidential Rank Award, as well as the John Marshall award from the Justice Department for his leadership in negotiating an industry-wide cleanup of petroleum refineries. Eric’s career at EPA began in 1990. Prior to his service at EPA, Eric worked as an environmental attorney and spent six years on Capitol Hill working for various members of Congress.
https://environmentalintegrity.org/
Craig and Eric will provide our listeners with thoughts on the EPA’s enforcement mechanisms. EPA enforcement totals in fiscal 2022 were the lowest in decades in key areas. Perhaps lack of congressional support for enforcement contributes to continued downward trend in enforcement.
EIP has completed and published an exhaustive report on enforcement by the EPA.
The Biden Administration’s EPA was expected to step up enforcement of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and other environmental laws after the investigation and prosecution of polluters reached new lows under the Trump Administration. It has yet to keep that promise, thanks to a refusal by Congress to reverse more than a decade of budget cuts or to confirm President Biden’s nominee to head EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. The number of staff working in EPA’s civil enforcement program has declined by almost a third over the last decade, from 3,294 in the 2012 fiscal year to just 2,253 in 2022. EPA had 189 criminal agents in FY 2012 but only 155 in FY 2022.
The annual accomplishments report for the 2022 federal fiscal year just released by EPA shows that instead of getting back on track, federal enforcement of environmental law has continued to decline.
We at EcoRadio KC are glad to encourage awareness and protection of our world. Our goal is to assure our listeners are aware of how we can create a sustainable present for a sustainable future!
This will be a great radio hour!
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can about the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead
