100percentfedup.com
First-Ever ‘Climate Change’ Arrest Made By Biden Administration
The Biden administration set a dangerous new precedent by making the first-ever arrest for a so-called ‘climate change-related crime.’
With bolstered enforcement measures for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), including 300 new employees since last year, the agency has rapidly increased issuing financial penalties.
According to Fox News, the EPA “reported issuing $1.7 billion in administrative and judicial penalties.”
The enhanced enforcement efforts led to the arrest of a California man for allegedly “smuggling climate-damaging air coolants into the United States,” the Associated Press noted.
Biden EPA makes first-ever climate change arrest https://t.co/WoiRUYYOYR
— Fox News Politics (@foxnewspolitics) December 6, 2024
From the Associated Press:
The case involved hydrofluorocarbons, a highly potent greenhouse gas also known as HFCs, a gas once commonly used in refrigerators and air conditioners.
A 2020 law passed by Congress prohibits importation of HFCs without allowances issued by the EPA. The law is part of a global phaseout designed to slow climate change.
Uhlmann called enforcement of the HFC law a high priority for the United States and the world. “Alongside methane, HFCs are one of the most significant near-term drivers of climate change. And the criminal program is front and center there,’’ he said.
In other highlights, engine maker Cummins Inc. paid more than $2 billion in fines and penalties — and agreed to recall 600,000 Ram trucks — as part of a settlement with federal and California authorities. Cummins was found to use illegal software that let Ram trucks — manufactured by Stellantis — to skirt diesel emissions tests for nearly a decade.
The fine is the largest ever secured under the federal Clean Air Act.
EPA hails 'revitalized' enforcement efforts as Biden administration heads to exit. Enforcement actions on rise amid new hires, greater emphasis on climate change, environmental justice
https://t.co/YFdDr8sc2n pic.twitter.com/u2zXZqGfZt
— Matthew Daly (@MatthewDalyWDC) December 5, 2024
Per Fox News:
The agency’s environmental enforcement efforts also saw 1,851 civil cases concluded, 121 criminal defendants charged, and it issued more than 225 million pounds of “pollution reductions” in “overburdened communities,” according to the report. As of the end of 2024, there are about 480 open criminal investigations on environmental programs.
The results reflect a 3.4% increase in civil cases and a 17.6% increase in criminal charges compared to 2023, The Associated Press reported.
In the FY 2024 report, the EPA also noted that collaborative efforts on the “implementation of EPA’s national priorities” led to a “12% increase in criminal leads opened because of referrals from EPA Headquarters and regional offices.”
“In Fiscal Year 2024, EPA’s enforcement and compliance assurance program produced its strongest results since 2017, focusing on efforts to combat climate change and tackling some of the nation’s most significant environmental threats to our shared air, water and land,” David M. Uhlmann, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, said in a statement. “The progress made under the Biden-Harris Administration has sent a clear signal that polluters will be held accountable and that protecting communities from harm is a top priority.”
The agency zeroed in on six areas of priority for FY 2024 as part of their National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative: mitigating climate change, exposure to PFAS, working against communities from coal ash contamination, reducing air toxics in overburdened communities, increasing compliance with drinking water standards and chemical accident risk reduction.
News Feed (Home)
Popular Posts 
Events 
Blog 
Market 
Forum 
Headline News
VidWatch
Game Zone
Top PodCasts
