EPA, States Discuss Crediting Compliance Assistance In Enforcement Pacts

EPA and state officials are considering ways to value compliance assistance and give credit to programs that perform well under the agency's new evaluation methods, according to state sources and EPA documents. EPA's review of state enforcement programs is important because poor marks could lead the agency to demand additional inspections and other steps states must take in federal-state arrangements that lay out enforcement responsibilities, such as the agency's state-by-state performance partnership agreements (PPAs). The reviews can also affect EPA...