The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its Fiscal Year 2025 enforcement and compliance results today, highlighting a significant jump in legal actions and border security measures during the first year of the Trump Administration. The data shows the agency concluded over 2,300 civil enforcement cases, which is an increase of more than 400 cases compared to the final year of the Biden Administration and represents the highest volume in nine years.
One of the most notable shifts in the agency’s activity involved border protection. The EPA reported blocking over 1.6 million pounds of illegal pesticides from entering the country, a 70 percent increase over the previous year.
To achieve this, the agency worked alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection to train personnel on detecting toxic substances and interdicting illegal imports at various ports of entry.
The financial and physical impact of these enforcement actions also saw a sharp rise. The EPA secured over $6 billion in commitments from facilities to return to legal compliance, nearly $1 billion more than the previous year.
Additionally, the agency obtained commitments to clean up almost 60 million cubic yards of contaminated land and water. This figure is nearly 30 times higher than the previous year’s cleanup totals.
“The days of using EPA’s enforcement arm to pursue overzealous prosecution and partisan agendas are over,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated. “The Trump EPA is bringing common sense and the rule of law back to environmental enforcement and compliance. We know we can both protect human health and the environment while also providing the certainty and stability needed to Power the Great American Comeback.”
Criminal enforcement also trended upward, with the agency obtaining sentences for 99 criminal defendants. For the full 2025 fiscal year, the EPA charged 156 defendants and secured 65 years of total incarceration. Total penalties, including civil fines and criminal restitution, reached approximately $1.16 billion.
The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) noted that the administration is focusing on three specific pillars: economic growth, public health, and border protection. This includes efforts to align environmental mandates with industrial stability and ensuring that foreign actors do not “profit by poisoning” American communities with smuggled chemicals.
Jeffrey A. Hall, Assistant Administrator for the OECA, emphasized a move toward efficiency. “The results show that when we focus on swiftly addressing clear violations within the bounds of the law, we more efficiently achieve better enforcement and compliance,” Hall said. He added that the program intends to be accountable to the public regarding these promises.
Beyond high-profile court cases, the agency conducted nearly 12,000 compliance monitoring activities. This included 179 inspections focused on cybersecurity risk assessments at public water systems, as well as providing technical assistance to over 180 drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities to ensure they remain functional and safe.
Working in tandem with state and Tribal partners, the EPA’s efforts resulted in the reduction or elimination of over 100 million pounds of waste and pollution. Moving into 2026, the agency stated it will continue to prioritize timely compliance based on the “most defensible interpretations” of federal environmental laws.
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