EPA Enforcement Results Show Significant Pollutant Reductions and Environmental Benefits in the Southeast.

Pollutants Reduced, Treated or Properly Managed Totaled More Than 209 Million Pounds

ATLANTA -- More than 209 million pounds of estimated pollutants were reduced, treated or properly managed during Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 as part of EPA's compliance assurance and enforcement actions in the States of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky. A substantial amount of the pollutant reductions are the result of enforcement actions taken under the Clean Air Act, which will eliminate over 35,000 tons of pollutants from entering streams, rivers and lakes throughout the Southeast.

"Enforcement actions taken during this past year through continued collaboration with our state partners ensure that the regulated community continues to comply with our Nation's environmental laws and regulations and do not pollute the environment," said Jimmy Palmer, EPA Regional Administrator in Atlanta. "Our strong enforcement efforts are ensuring a cleaner and healthier environment for citizens in the Southeast."

The EPA issued enforcement actions totaling $39 million in civil penalties in the Region. The results of these actions include the treatment of an estimated 1.5 million cubic yards of contaminated soil, and the clean up of more than 77 million cubic yards of contaminated water.

As a result of enforcement settlements, approximately $429.6 million will go directly toward correcting violations cited in the specific enforcement cases, cleanup of the polluted sites, and protection against further environmental contamination or destruction. In addition, more than $4.7 million will fund Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs), which are environmentally beneficial projects that a violator voluntarily agrees to perform as part of an enforcement settlement.

Region 4's efforts to get the regulated community in the Southeast to conduct compliance audits under the Agency's Audit Policy resulted in 98 facilities self-disclosing and correcting violations of environmental laws.

"I firmly believe that our compliance assistance and outreach efforts are showing businesses, industries, local governments, and other regulated entities efficient and effective ways to meet applicable requirements," said Palmer.

For more information about enforcement highlights in the southeast Region, visit: http://r4web1.r04.epa.gov:9876/internet/testsite/ead/2006_annual _results/region4_highlights.html. (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)

For more information about EPA's national enforcement and compliance programs, visit: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/data/results/annual/fy2006.html.