The Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is responsible for ensuring that businesses and organizations comply with federal laws that protect the public health and the environment. U.S. EPAs Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) has begun combining traditional enforcement activities with more innovative compliance approaches including the provision of compliance assistance to the general public. U.S. EPA's Office of Compliance Assistance was established in 1994 to focus on compliance assistance-related activities. U.S. EPA is also encouraging the development of self-assessment programs at individual facilities. Voluntary audit programs play an important role in helping companies meet their obligation to comply with environmental requirements. Such assessments can be a critical link, not only to improved compliance, but also to improvements in other aspects of an organizations performance. For example, environmental audits may identify pollution prevention opportunities that can substantially reduce an organizations operating costs. Environmental audits can also serve as an important diagnostic tool in evaluating a facility's overall environmental management system or EMS.

Cover title. "EPA 300-B-00-005." "March 2000." "EPA Office of Compliance."