News Releases - 2003

Environmental Enforcement orders Now On IEPA Web Site:
Information Now Readily Available To Public

Springfield, Ill. -- All of the enforcement orders entered this year for environmental cases investigated and referred by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency are now conveniently available on the Agency’s web site, Director Renee Cipriano announced today.

The 121 orders entered so far in 2003 may be accessed at www.epa.state.il.us/enforcement/orders in chronological order, by county or by site specific name.

“We are proud of our enforcement efforts and this is another important step in making that information more accessible to citizens and other interested parties,” said Director Cipriano.

She noted Illinois EPA has consulted with the Environmental Integrity Project on increasing public access to environmental enforcement information.

“By making its enforcement orders available online, Illinois EPA has made it much easier for the public to know our environmental laws are being enforced,” said Eric Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Environmental Integrity Project.

“This simple and straightforward action to open a window to the public should serve as an inspiration to other states,” he added.

All new enforcement orders will be placed on the web site as they are received and IEPA will also continue to load orders from prior years into the web site database.

It is part of an overall Enforcement Management System implemented this year to ensure compliance and enforcement processes are carried out in a timely and consistent manner.

“Most regulated entities comply with environmental laws and regulations but sometimes through ignorance, negligence, or intent to avoid responsibilities or costs, violations occur and Illinois EPA vigorously pursues enforcement action,” noted Director Cipriano.

So far in 2003, the Illinois EPA has referred 270 cases to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office for enforcement action in the courts or before the Illinois Pollution Control Board and that total is expected to exceed 300 by the year’s end, comparable to the 305 referrals in 2002.

Director Cipriano also noted more than $4.1 million in penalties for state environmental cases referred by the IEPA has been assessed this year, along with $3.3 million for Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs).

Earlier this fall, IEPA launched a “SEP bank” on the web site and is seeking “deposits” or ideas from the public on projects that could be a part of settlement of future enforcement cases. The projects typically provide an environmental benefit to the community in which the violations occurred, in addition to any other penalty or corrective action.