EPA Resources

National Compliance Initiatives.  The EPA focuses its enforcement and compliance assurance resources on the most serious environmental violations by developing and implementing national program priorities, called National Compliance Initiatives (NCIs). The NCIs are in addition to the EPA’s core enforcement work, including protecting clean and safe water, reducing air pollution, and protecting safe and healthy land. The six FY 2024-2027 NCIs are:

• Mitigating Climate Change
• Reducing Air Toxics in Overburdened Communities

• Addressing Exposure to PFAS
• Chemical Accident Risk Reduction
• Protecting Communities from Coal Ash Contamination

• Increasing Compliance with Drinking Water Standards

The former NCI “Ensuring Energy Extraction Activities Comply with Environmental Laws” was superseded by the new NCI “Creating Cleaner Air for Communities by Reducing Excess Emissions of Harmful Pollutants.”

Clean Energy Financing Programs (EPA). Include a Decision Tool designed for state and local staff in the early stages of choosing a clean energy financing program and a Decision Guide that includes the basics on financing-program options.

Coalbed Methane Extraction (EPA). In 2010, EPA published a report based on its detailed study of the coalbed methane extraction industry. Based on that report, EPA initiated a rulemaking to develop controls for pollutant discharges from the CBM industry. Following initiation of the CBM rulemaking, EPA collected and analyzed more data. EPA concludes that while effective technologies exist, are demonstrated, and may be affordable for some sites, these technologies are not economically achievable for the CBM extraction industry as a whole. Therefore, the Agency is not developing national effluent limitations guidelines for these operations. Dischargers must still comply with NPDES requirements and must have a NPDES permit before wastewater can be discharged.

Development of Clean Energy on Contaminated Sites. Includes the following resources:

• EPA and NREL have developed draft solar and wind decision trees that assist with screening energy potential on a variety of contaminated sites. EPA also provides several other resources on Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites.

• NALGEP recently released Cultivating Green Energy on Brownfields: A Nuts and Bolts Primer for Local Governments, which will help local governments evaluate the potential for developing renewable energy on brownfields and other contaminated sites.

Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO). ECHO allows for integrated searches of EPA and state data for 800,000+ regulated facilities. It integrates inspection, violation, and enforcement for the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, RCRA, Safe Drinking Water Act, Toxics Release Inventory data, National Emissions Inventory data, and Water Quality Data.

Oil & Gas Production Wastes - Radionuclides (EPA). Background information on geologic formations that contain oil and gas deposits also contain naturally-occurring radionuclides, which are referred to as "NORM" (Naturally-Occurring Radioactive Materials).

Radioactive Wastes from Oil & Gas Drilling (EPA). Describes the radioactive waste created during the oil and gas drilling process.