Compliance and Enforcement Quick Finder

Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs)

SEPs are environmentally beneficial projects that a violator voluntarily agrees to undertake during settlement of an enforcement action. The purpose of a SEP is to secure significant environmental or public health protection improvements beyond those achieved by bringing the violator into compliance. If the violator chooses to perform an acceptable SEP, it must protect or reduce risks to public health or the environment, and have a relationship with the violation. Additional information regarding SEPs.

WE WANT YOUR IDEAS!

This web site was created as a tool for Region 6 to request SEP ideas from the external and internal community. These ideas may be considered as a part of a case settlement by violators. Please realize that SEPs are not mandatory and there is no way to ensure that your project will be adopted. Since other legal requirements should be met, many ideas, such as a playground or an employment center, are not allowed. If you would like to send an idea click here.

DISCLAIMER: The Region 6 SEP Library is a compilation of ideas for Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) submitted by private individuals and entities, as well as federal, state and local governmental agencies. Inclusion of a project herein does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation or pre-approval by the United States Government. In addition, inclusion of any project in a settlement with the United States for violations of environmental law must comport with the terms of the May 1998 SEP Policy.

Following are projects that companies agreed to perform as part of case settlements during

FY 09

FY 08

National Information

Compliance & Enforcement
Interim Guidance Community Involvement (pdf 20 pgs fed. reg. notice)
National Priorities
Policy & Guidance
Potential Projects

Publications

Beyond Compliance (2001) (pdf, 40 pp)
SEPs (1998) (pdf, 8 pp)

ECHO - Enforcement and Compliance History Online

Region 6 SEP Idea Information

Idea Form

SEP Library

Region 6 States - Projects Pages

AR - HW SEPs

LA - Beneficial Env. Projects

TX - SEPs

City of Houston SEPs

SEP Categories: EPA has set out eight categories of projects that can be acceptable SEPs. To qualify, a SEP must fit into at least one of the following categories:

Public Health: SEPs may include examining residents in a community to determine if anyone has experienced any health problems because of the company's violations.
Pollution Prevention: These SEPs involve changes so that the company no longer generates some form of pollution. For example, a company may make its operation more efficient so that it avoids making a hazardous waste along with its product.
Pollution Reduction: These SEPs reduce the amount and/or danger presented by some form of pollution, often by providing better treatment and disposal of the pollutant.
Environmental Restoration and Protection: These SEPs improve the condition of the land, air or water in the area damaged by the violation. For example, by purchasing land or developing conservation programs for the land, a company could protect a source of drinking water.
Emergency Planning and Preparedness: These projects provide assistance to a responsible state or local emergency response or planning entity to enable these organizations to fulfill their obligations under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA.) Such assistance may include the purchase of computers and/or software, communication systems, chemical emission detection and inactivation equipment, HAZMAT equipment, or training. Cash donations to local or state emergency response organizations are not acceptable SEPs.
Assessments and Audits: A violating company may agree to examine its operations to determine if it is causing any other pollution problems or can run its operations better to avoid violations in the future. These audits go well beyond standard business practice.
Environmental Compliance Promotion: These are SEPs in which an alleged a violator provides training or technical support to other members of the regulated community to achieve, or go beyond, compliance with applicable environmental requirements. For example, the violator may train other companies on how to comply with the law.
Other Types of Projects: Other acceptable SEPs would be those that have environment merit but do not fit within the categories listed above. These types of projects must be fully consistent with all other provisions of the SEP Policy and be approved by EPA.

Air/Toxics Inspection & Coordination Branch - works with state, local and tribal governments, other federal agencies, businesses and community groups to implement and enforce the CAA regulations.

Hazardous Waste Enforcement Branch - provides guidance on all aspects of managing hazardous wastes and chemical substances; and offer compliance assistance to citizens, facilities, States, and Tribes.

Water Enforcement Branch - assures compliance and takes appropriate enforcement action against facilities for violations of the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water acts, including animal feed lots, stormwater. Additional water quality information in Region 6.