Bill Overview
Title: A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to require certain notice requirements by law enforcement officers of the Environmental Protection Agency before executing and serving warrants.
Description: This bill requires law enforcement officers of the Environmental Protection Agency to provide notice to state and local law enforcement agencies before executing and serving warrants.
Sponsors: Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]
Target Audience
Population: People impacted by EPA law enforcement activities
Estimated Size: 5000000
- Environmental law enforcement typically involves investigations of violations of environmental regulations which can affect businesses, landowners, and industries.
- The EPA's enforcement activities can impact communities located near sites of environmental violations, particularly if those sites have potential health implications.
- State and local law enforcement agencies will directly be affected due to their involvement and cooperation with the EPA.
- Indirectly, the overall population benefits from effective environmental law enforcement as it can help reduce pollution and its associated health risks.
Reasoning
- The target population for this policy includes businesses, landowners, and communities near sites of environmental violations.
- The budget for implementing this policy is limited, which means the impact might not be very significant in the larger population, particularly in the early years.
- Most individuals in the population will experience an indirect impact. The direct impact is mainly restricted to entities directly regulated by the EPA.
Simulated Interviews
Farmer (Rural Louisiana)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this increases transparency in how the EPA enforces laws, especially around here where industry pollution is high.
- If the EPA works more with local law enforcement, it could mean quicker responses to issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Chemical engineer (Houston, Texas)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Additional notification could streamline processes and reduce unnecessary delays.
- There's a potential it could improve our compliance strategy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Retired law enforcement officer (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Notice before warrants might not always be in the best interest of cases.
- Though it could enhance local cooperation, it might inform suspects prematurely.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 3 |
Environmental activist (Portland, Oregon)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Ensuring there's notice given will help hold local industries accountable.
- I believe transparency in enforcement is crucial for public trust.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Tech startup founder (San Francisco, California)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This doesn't affect my business directly, but any positive environmental impact is good.
- It may influence investors concerned about environmental practices.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Local government official (Detroit, Michigan)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Closer work between local and federal agencies could make enforcement more effective.
- It might take time to see significant changes, but any step towards cooperation is good.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
College student (New York, New York)
Age: 21 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Understanding this policy helps me see how real-world enforcement is planned.
- I believe such policies are stepping stones to greater environmental justice.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired EPA employee (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 66 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel mixed about this policy; it could either help or hinder enforcement efficiency.
- Balancing transparency with operational efficiency is tricky.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Construction project manager (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Knowing about EPA actions in advance could allow better preparation for project adjustments.
- Yet, it will depend on how seriously local bodies take these alerts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Environmental lawyer (Los Angeles, California)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Changes like these can impact how we advise our clients and approach compliance cases.
- Closer collaboration might offer quicker resolutions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Year 2: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Year 3: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Year 5: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Year 10: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Year 100: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Key Considerations
- Coordination requirements might necessitate additional training for EPA law enforcement officers, impacting initial year costs.
- Dependencies on state and local law enforcement cooperation may vary by region, potentially affecting the consistency of procedural changes across different jurisdictions.
- The primary quantifiable costs are restricted to administrative and communication overhead increases.