About the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA)

What We Do

The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) addresses pollution problems affecting American communities by vigorously enforcing the nation’s environmental laws through civil and criminal enforcement. Our enforcement activities target the most serious water, air, and chemical hazards using improved transparency, advanced technologies, and community participation. 

OECA, working with EPA’s regional offices, and in partnership with state and tribal governments, and other federal agencies:

• Develops and prosecutes civil judicial and administrative enforcement actions and provides technical, legal, and policy expertise and direction to regions for their enforcement actions. 
• Directly implements and enforces federal programs where there are no EPA-authorized state programs (e.g., in territories and Indian country). 
• Identifies, develops, and implements national priorities and initiatives, as well as enforcement policy and guidance. 
• Participates with other Headquarters offices in developing regulations that ensure compliance with environmental laws.
• Investigates violations of environmental laws and provides a broad range of technical and forensic services for civil and criminal investigative support and counsel on legal and policy matters.
• Assists the regulated community and co-regulators by providing tools and training to EPA, states, and Tribes to address noncompliance; advancing national priorities; and managing compliance data and results.
• Ensures that federal facilities take all necessary actions to prevent, control, and abate environmental pollution. 
• Facilitates compliance through inspections and enforcement under all environmental statutes and cleanup at federal facilities.
• Protects human health and the environment by getting those responsible for a hazardous waste site to either clean up or reimburse EPA for its cleanup. 
• Coordinates the human resources, financial, administrative, information technology, and management activities for EPA’s enforcement and compliance programs.

Leadership