The new figure puts it about in line with Obama-era numbers, per previous requests from the group showing that it had 175 agents in 2012, but just 154 in 2015, according to the organization.
But Jeff Ruch, PEER’s Pacific director, said that the number is particularly concerning amid fiscal year 2021’s low number of criminal case referrals to the Justice Department.
“Biden’s EPA is not going to reinvigorate criminal enforcement, or there’s no sign that they’re moving in that direction,” Ruch said.
“Their environmental justice depends upon prosecution and one of the first steps they need to do is hire more investigators — significantly more investigators — than they are,” he added.
