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Monday, March 02, 2009
Environment - "IDEM updates compliance and enforcement policy to reflect changes to agency structure"
IDEM has today issued a press release headed "IDEM updates compliance and enforcement policy to reflect changes to agency structure." What I understand it to mean is that they have amended the long-pending revised policy document, 08-006-NPD, which has suddenly disappeared from their webpage, and updated it to reflect the fact that the Office of Enforcement was abolished. However, I can't be sure because the earlier proposal is no longer available. Here is the new document.
For background, see this list of ILB entries, and particularly this one from Dec. 19, 2008.
Here is today's press release:
Today, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) unveiled a new policy to help businesses and citizens understand the agency’s compliance and enforcement process. The Compliance and Enforcement Response Policy (CERP) is available for public comment over the next 45 days.“Revising the CERP was necessary to bring the policies and procedures up-to-date with current agency structure and operations,” said IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly. “The updated policy will inform Hoosiers about IDEM’s compliance process. I encourage everyone to read the policy for themselves and participate in the public comment process.”
Revising and formally adopting the CERP establishes a clear process for referring compliance violations to IDEM’s enforcement program. Changes in the current document reflect the integration of IDEM’s enforcement activities into the compliance branches.
Additionally, the CERP categorizes compliance violations into three classes and prioritizes severe violations. Based on the severity of the violation, the policy directs IDEM’s initial response, ranging from an immediate enforcement referral to technical assistance provided by compliance staff. The policy defines how enforcement will be used as a tool to achieve compliance in the three classes of violations.
“IDEM’s goal continues to be increased compliance with environmental regulations,” said Commissioner Easterly. “This revision has been an extensive process to provide a clear and accurate document that will be helpful to agency staff, Hoosiers and businesses.”
The CERP can be found online [here]. Details on the public comment process, including how to submit comments, are included on the Web page. After the public comment period, the policy is reviewed by four of Indiana’s environmental boards before going into effect.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on March 2, 2009 04:47 PM
Posted to Environment