An environmental audit is a self-evaluation of current compliance with applicable environmental regulations.  The audit is typically performed by an outside environmental consultant. However, more sophisticated businesses can utilize advanced electronic compliance tools or their own EHS personnel.

An audit can be wide in scope (i.e. compliance with all applicable regulations) or it can review

The Ohio EPA enforcement process can appear to be a mystery, especially to companies that find themselves the subject of an EPA visit for the first time.  This post provides a general overview of the Ohio EPA civil enforcement process.

Step 1:  The Inspection

The enforcement process starts with the inspection.  The inspections can be announced

An EPA inspector shows up at your facility unannounced and requests access to inspect your facility.  Do you have to let them in?  If you deny access, how likely is it that EPA will quickly gain access?  What is the downside of making EPA  go through the step of legally gaining access by obtaining a

So you have decided to retain an environmental consultant to assist with sampling, cleanup or compliance assistance.  Many times businesses have the tendency to review the terms of the proposal itself without paying much attention to the "standard terms & conditions" that are often attached to the proposal.  These standard terms & condition make up

U.S. EPA’s Environmental Audit Policy encourages companies to self-evaluate their compliance with environmental requirements and disclose any violations to EPA.  As an incentive to disclose violations to EPA, the Audit Policy provides up to 100% forgiveness of gravity-based civil penalties if certain conditions are met. 

U.S. EPA’s audit policy contains nine (9) conditions that must