The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is suspending enforcement of some environmental laws.
The State of Michigan’s environmental agency will still provide regulatory oversight.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is still trying to figure out all the implications of the USEPA’s decision to end enforcement during the COVID-19 outbreak. Hugh McDiarmid is the Communications Manager for EGLE.
“We’re still on the job. More than 90 percent of our staff is working remotely, but we are still enforcing pollution laws and continuing to do work.”
The state agency already implements most of the US EPA’s programs.
The EPA does not expect to penalize businesses for civil violations such as not complying with routine monitoring or reporting. The EPA says enforcement on Superfund sites or intentional criminal violations will continue.