Enforcement against polluters in the United States decreased significantly in President Donald Trump’s second term’s first year, with a more substantial drop than during his first term, according to a report from a watchdog group.
Analysis of federal court and administrative data by the Environmental Integrity Project found that civil lawsuits filed by the U.S. Department of Justice in cases referred by the Environmental Protection Agency fell to 16 in the first year after Trump’s 2025 inauguration, 76 percent less than in Biden’s first year.
In Trump’s first administration, 86 such cases were filed, down from the Obama administration’s 127. “Our nation’s landmark environmental laws are meaningless when the EPA does not enforce the rules,” stated Jen Duggan, executive director of the Environmental Integrity Project.
Similar findings were reported by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and Earthjustice, highlighting diminished enforcement under Trump.
Trump’s second term has aggressively deregulated, easing health safeguards, benefiting fossil fuel companies. He declared an “energy emergency” post-inauguration.
The EPA, under Administrator Lee Zeldin, launched deregulatory actions, including 31 efforts to relax pollution restrictions and transfer enforcement authority to states.
A “Compliance First” Approach
The decline in lawsuits may stem from staff shortages, experts say. E&E News reported a third of DOJ environment lawyers left last year. Additionally, EPA layoffs in 2025 impacted pollution monitoring.
Agency officials are directing fewer violation notices, adopting a “compliance first” policy to fix issues before formal action. Immediate enforcement is reserved for significant health or environmental hazards, according to an internal memo.
Pritzlaff, who joined the EPA last fall, was previously known as a “reluctant regulator” at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, criticized for inaction on repeat violators by Public Citizen.
One case involved an INEOS chemical plant with numerous violations before a 2023 explosion caused significant damage. The agency had allowed violations to accumulate, creating a backlog of unresolved cases.
Early last year, TCEQ fined INEOS $2.3 million for violations from 2016 to 2021.
“A Slap on the Wrist”
The EPA sometimes resolves violations through administrative cases, which increased during the first eight months of Trump’s second term compared to Biden’s. Most involved Clean Air Act or Safe Drinking Water Act violations, but not industrial pollution, according to Environmental Integrity Project’s Tom Pelton.
By September last year, EPA penalties totaled $41 million, $8 million less than during the Biden administration’s first year. This shift suggests potential leniency toward polluters, as the report indicates.
Lawsuits, penalties, and enforcement actions’ decline could affect communities nationwide, said Erika Kranz from Harvard Law School, who was not part of the report. She noted the administration’s deregulation and reduced enforcement as mechanisms to lower public health protections.
Many court cases exceed a year, delaying insights into enforcement changes under Trump. However, data from the Environmental Integrity Project shows a distinct shift from legal actions against polluters.
Kranz highlighted that significant enforcement changes could lead to lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s approach.
Original Story at insideclimatenews.org