Use of environmental management systems in settlement of enforcement actions

摘要

The use of environmental management systems (EMS) has risen dramatically in the U.S. over the past few years. Contributing to that rise is EPA's and other state environmental regulatory authorities' increasing acceptance and use of EMSs. The initial focus on EMSs by the EPA was in consent decrees and settlement agreements between the agency and private firms. It is an important new enforcement strategy and signals a change in how EPA views application and use of EMSs and the ISO 14001 standard.This trend has spread to state regulatory authorities with no abatement in sight. EMSs in settlement actions represent an exciting and new "winwin" strategy for both the regulators and the firms subject to the enforcement action.