Compliance Monitoring Programs

EPA and its state, Tribal, and local regulatory partners perform compliance monitoring activities to assure compliance with our nation's environmental laws. These activities encompass 44 EPA regulatory programs authorized by seven environmental statutes. These activities include:

conducting inspections and investigations,
overseeing imports and exports of environmental substances, and
providing training to federal, state, and tribal personnel.

Inspection manuals and other guidance provide a uniform framework for EPA’s compliance monitoring activities.

Generally, each program is unique to an environmental statute, but some encompass multiple statutes. The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) at EPA headquarters implements some of the 44 programs, while EPA regional offices, states, or tribes administer others.

On this page:

Goals of Compliance Monitoring
Compliance Monitoring Programs by Statute

Goals of Compliance Monitoring

Compliance monitoring is a key component of any effective environmental compliance and enforcement program. It encompasses all of the means used to make a compliance determination. The primary goals of compliance monitoring include:

Assessing and documenting compliance with permits and regulations,
Supporting the enforcement process through evidence collection,
Monitoring compliance with enforcement orders and decrees,
Creating deterrence, and
Providing feedback on implementation challenges to permit and rule writers.

Compliance Monitoring Programs by Statute

EPA's compliance monitoring authority is contained in the following statutes: