Editorial: The joke’s on us
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20091027/OPINION01/910271000

Neighborhood worried about contamination
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20091025/ARTICLES/910251005

EPA’s plan for Koppers cleanup assailed
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20091025/ARTICLES/910251004

Editorial: Susan Fairforest: EPAs Cabot-Koppers cleanup plan is inadequate
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20091025/ARTICLES/910251004

Editorial: Water matters
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20091017/OPINION01/910171003

Published: Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, October 16, 2009 at 5:02 p.m.

News flash: The Environmental Protection Agency has decided that it has a responsibility to enforce the Clean Water Act.

It’s about time.

A recent investigation by the New York Times discovered that companies had violated the Clean Water Act more than half a million times over the past five years. Yet less than 3 percent of the violators have been fined or otherwise punished.

“The time is long overdue for the EPA to reexamine its approach to Clean Water Act enforcement,” EPA chief Lisa P. Jackson told a congressional subcommittee the other day.

One EPA official later told The Times: “Going forward, if states are falling down on the job we’re going to reverse the permits they’ve issued, and if they’re not enforcing the law, we’ll step in an do it ourselves.”

Since Florida was recently served notice that it has to do a better job limiting nutrient pollution limits for its lakes and rivers, we hope the EPA’s newfound commitment to clean water enforcement is genuine.