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        Wetlands Enforcement
Wetlands Enforcement In addition to jointly implementing the Clean Water        Act Section 404 program, EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps)        share Section 404 enforcement authority. This fact sheet gives an overview        of how the agencies implement this shared authority.
Types of Violations
Section 404 violations fall into two broad categories:
- failure to comply with the terms or conditions of a Section 404 permit         discharging dredged or fill material to waters of the United States          without a permit.    In 1989, EPA and the Corps entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)        on enforcement to ensure efficient and effective implementation of this        shared authority. Under the MOA, the Corps, as the Federal agency that        issues permits, has the lead on Corp-issued permit violation cases. For        unpermitted discharges, EPA and the Corps determine the appropriate lead        agency based on criteria in the MOA.  Enforcement Goals and Tools  EPA's Section 404 enforcement program has three goals: protect the environment        and human health and safety, deter violations, and treat the regulated        community fairly and equitably. EPA's enforcement program achieves these        goals through voluntary compliance and by using the enforcement tools        provided under Sections 309 and 404 of the Clean Water Act.  In administrative enforcement, under Section 309(a), EPA can issue administrative        compliance orders requiring a violator to stop any ongoing illegal discharge        activity and, where appropriate, to remove the illegal discharge and otherwise        restore the site. Under Section 309(g), EPA and the Corps can assess administrative        civil penal ties of up to, but not exceeding, $125,000 per action.  In judicial enforcement, Sections 309(b) and (d) and 404(s) give EPA        and the Corps the authority to take civil judicial actions, seeking restora        tion and other types of injunctive relief, as well as civil penalties.        The agencies also have authority under Section 309(c) to bring criminal        judicial enforcement actions for knowingly or negligently violating Section        404.  Case Selection  EPA and the Corps consider a wide variety of factors when deciding whether        to initiate an enforcement action and, if so, what kind. These factors        include the amount of fill, the size of the water body (acres of wetlands        filled and the environmental significance), the discharger's previous        experience with Section 404 requirements, and the discharger's compliance        history.  In most instances, EPA and the Corps prefer to resolve Section 404 viola        tions through voluntary compliance or administrative enforcement.  Wetlands Criminal Enforcement  Since enactment of the Clean Water Act, EPA and the Corps have used their        criminal enforcement authoritites sparingly in response to Section 404        violations. As demonstrated by the following examples, EPA and the Corps        reserve their criminal enforcement authority for only the most flagrant        and egregious Section 404 violations.  United States v. Pozsgai  In December 1989, a Philadelphia jury convicted John Pozsgai on 40 counts        of knowingly filling wetlands in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, without a        Section 404 permit. Mr. Pozsgai was sentenced to three years in jail,        ordered to restore the site upon his release, and assessed a fine. His        conviction and sentence have been affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court.        Even prior to purchasing the 14-acre tract in 1987, Mr. Pozsgai was told        by private consultants that the site contained wetlands subject to permitting        requirements of Section 404. He purchased the property at a reduced price        due to the presence of wetlands, and then proceeded to ignore no fewer        than ten warnings from EPA and Corps field staff to stop filling the wetlands        without first getting a Section 404 permit. He also defied a temporary        restraining order (TRO) issued by a Federal court judge. In fact, the        government documented violations of the TRO on videtape, thanks to the        cooperation of neighbors whose homes were being flooded as a result of        Mr. Pozsgai�s filling in his wetlands.  United States v. Ellen  In January, 1991, William Ellen was found guilty by a Maryland jury of        knowingly filling 86 acres of wetlands without a Section 404 permit. He        was sentenced to six months in jail and one year supervised release. The        U.S. Supreme Court denied review of the conviction and sentence.  Mr. Ellen is a consultant who was hired by Paul Tudor Jones to assist        in the location and creation of a private hunting club and wildlife preserve        on Maryland�s Eastern Shore. With Mr. Ellen�s asssistance, Jones selected        a 3,000 acre site in Dorchester County that bordered Chesapeake Bay tributaries        and consisted largely of forested wetlands and tidal marshes. As project        manager, Mr. Ellen was responsible for acquiring enviromental permits        and complying with all applicable environmental rules and regulations.        His own consulting engineers repeatedly told him that a Section 404 permit        would be required. Nevertheless, he supervised extensive excavation and        construction work, destroying wetlands at the site, without first obtaining        a Section 404 permit. Despite repreated warnings to Mr. Ellen from the        Corps, this unpermitted activity did not stop until the Corps contacted        the subcontractors directly.            
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