This report highlights EPAs commitment to ensure full compliance with the law through civil, criminal, and administrative enforcement actions as well as encourage improved compliance through assistance and incentives. In FY2001, we continued our ongoing collaboration with our state and tribal partners to provide information and assistance to facilities to help them comply with environmental laws. We completed numerous agreements with facilities and companies to conduct their own self-audits and to report and correct violations. And we took significant civil and criminal enforcement actions to address serious environmental problems and ensure fairness in the marketplace. Reducing pollution is a primary goal for the enforcement and compliance program. Last year we and our partners prevented millions of pounds of harmful pollutants from being released into the environment and ensured that billions of pounds of pollutants were safely treated and managed. We also required violators to spend nearly $1 billion on environmental improvement projectsup 60 percent from the previous year. We understand the challenges regulated entities face to comply with the multitude of complex environmental regulations. These challenges require us to be innovative and to think outside the box. As an example, were employing what we term integrated strategies, whereby we use a combination of tools to improve environmental management by regulated entities, maximize compliance, and increase environmental protection.

"Protecting the public and the environment through innovative approaches"--Cover. "EPA 300-R-02-010."