Source: United States Department of Justice News
Gregory J. Haanstad, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today the creation of new public reporting procedures for environmental justice and public health concerns. Members of the public may report any concerns about environmental violations or public health issues in the Eastern District of Wisconsin to the U.S. Attorney’s Office by email at USAWIE.Environment@usdoj.gov or by phone at 414-297-1700 by asking for the Environmental Justice Coordinator.
U.S. Attorney Haanstad stated: “I encourage anyone in the Eastern District of Wisconsin to report their concerns about public health, safety, or environmental matters to our Office and to our partner agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and OSHA. With your help, we will continue to engage in the strong enforcement of environmental and public health laws to ensure that all members of our community share a healthy environment in which to live and work.”
The Office’s reporting procedures are part of the Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy, which seeks to advance environmental justice through timely and effective remedies for environmental violations and injuries to natural resources in “underserved communities that have been historically marginalized and overburdened, including low-income communities, communities of color, and Tribal and Indigenous communities.” The Department of Justice enforces the Nation’s civil and criminal environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and hazardous waste laws. The Department also protects natural resources and handle cases relating to tribal rights and resources. Working with its Department of Justice partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office seeks to secure environmental justice for all communities, to ensure that everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards, and to protect equal access to a healthy environment in which to live, learn, play, and work.
The Office’s reporting procedures are in addition to other methods of reporting environmental concerns to the federal government, such as the online portal maintained by the EPA: https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations. Additional points of contact for federal agencies may be found on the Office’s website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwi.
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For further information contact: Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov
(414) 297-1700