Environmental Enforcement

Environmental enforcement relates to how environmental laws are actually implemented by the regulators and the regulated community combined with citizen suit authorizations. Enforcement and compliance tools include: inspections, studies, reporting, self-audits, penalties, and settlements. It reflects the practical mechanisms that turn statutory requirements into enforceable and voluntary commitments for regulated entities.

Because enforcement shapes behavior of all stakeholders it is central to environmental law compliance, regulation and the practice of environmental law. Fellows are engaged in civil and criminal enforcement, agency discretion actions, analysis of negotiated remedies, initiation of citizen suits, development of corporate best management practices/commitments and the role of enforcement policy in advancing environmental objectives.