One thing that has always struck me as interesting is the EPA. My understanding of them is that they are a government agency that has the ability to fine individuals and corporations for infractions such as polluting the environment or discharging waste (e.g oil, batteries, etc.) improperly. I am curious to know what are these standards and how can the EPA enforce this. Does the EPA enforce actively or passively (do they rely soley on tips or do they conduct their own investigations)?
Throughout Environmental Science this semester, I am hoping to get a better understanding of the standards in place in the US as well as worldwide. It will be interesting to compare these standards to pollution data to see if countries without enough enforcement are more polluted that countries with ample enforcement.
