U.S. EPA Criminal Investigation Division (CID)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID) is a specialized federal law enforcement branch tasked with investigating and enforcing the nation’s environmental laws. Operating as part of the U.S. EPA, the CID focuses on criminal violations of statutes such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and other federal environmental laws. Its trained special agents carry badges and firearms and have full federal law enforcement authority, including the ability to make arrests and execute federal search warrants.

EPA-CID is unique in its role, employing specialized expertise in environmental science, forensic evidence gathering, and legal proceedings. It works in close collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice, local and state agencies, and tribal governments to uphold environmental compliance and public health protection. CID agents engage in a range of investigative work, from illegal hazardous waste disposal and air emission violations to falsification of environmental records and other corporate crimes against the environment.

Public interaction often includes training and outreach efforts to boost general awareness about environmental crime. The division plays a crucial role in deterring and prosecuting willful polluters, emphasizing the importance of accountability in environmental stewardship.

Key Services:

– Investigation of federal environmental law violations
– Criminal enforcement of Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and other EPA statutes
– Evidence collection and forensic environmental analysis
– Collaboration with DOJ, state, local, and tribal law enforcement
– Arrests and execution of search warrants in environmental crime cases
– Prosecution support for environmental criminal cases
– Outreach and training for partner agencies and the public
– Enforcement aimed at corporations and individuals violating environmental laws