Examining Facilities with Multiple Violations to Assess the Consent Order Process as a Compliance Tool to Protect Environmental Quality and Public Health in the State of Georgia

• Main Author: Austin, Kimberly
• Format: Others
• Published: Digital Archive @ GSU 2008
• Subjects: environmental regulations; enforcement; compliance; consent order process; Public Health
• Online Access: http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/iph_theses/36; http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1035&context=iph_theses

Consent orders are issued by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA EPD). Consent orders require facilities to comply with environmental rules and regulations. The effectiveness of the consent order process has recently been questioned. Several facilities were cited with multiple consent orders, suggesting possible implementation weaknesses, i.e., monitoring and enforcement. There is a need to examine trends among facilities issued multiple consent orders and the content of those consent orders. Such an analysis can help determine the efficacy of the process as a tool of compliance and recommendations to improve it. The present assessment covered a span of fourteen years, 1993-2006. The data analysis reflected the strengths and limitations of this enforcement tool as well as the existing resources and powers of the state agencies.