Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark joined a group of 12 other attorneys general in urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to rescind a recent policy that they say would weaken federal environmental enforcement. The coalition sent a letter to EPA Commissioner Lee Zeldin on Mar. 18, raising concerns about the agency’s December 2025 “Compliance First” memorandum.
The attorneys general argue that the new EPA policy could slow down enforcement of environmental laws and create obstacles for holding polluters accountable. They warn that these changes may result in increased pollution and harm communities across the country.
According to the letter, “the policy would, in practice, delay enforcement and allow polluters to stall investigations by raising legal challenges that must be elevated through multiple layers of political review.” The coalition also said the memo discourages important enforcement tools such as penalties, injunctive relief, and supplemental environmental projects—tools often used to stop pollution and address community harm. “Weakening these tools would make it harder to quickly bring polluters into compliance and address environmental damage,” they wrote.
Clark and her colleagues emphasized that strong federal action is needed because pollution does not respect state boundaries. They noted that even states with robust protections depend on consistent federal enforcement to prevent upstream pollution and ensure fair competition among companies following regulations. The letter also highlighted concerns about delayed action disproportionately affecting communities already burdened by pollution—including communities of color, low-income areas, and rural regions—which could worsen public health outcomes.
The coalition called for an immediate reversal of the memorandum and restoration of previous practices prioritizing compliance while maintaining accountability for polluters. Attorneys general from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington joined Clark in signing the letter.
A copy of their letter is available on Vermont’s attorney general website.
