DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE By William S. Sessions FBI Director Combating Environmental Crimes In 1971, American conservationist Paul Brooks wrote: "We shall never understand the natural environment until we see it as a living organism....In America today, you can murder land for private profit. You can leave the corpse for all to see, and nobody calls the cops." Unfortunately, this was the case 20 years ago. No one could call the police, because no laws had been broken. Today, however, in 1991, this is no longer true. Environmental laws and policies have been enacted to protect the public's health and quality of life, and vigorous enforcement of these laws is a top priority. The U.S. Congress has given law enforcement additional weapons to combat environmental crime by adding tough criminal sanctions to a host of environmental laws. Just last year, Congress passed the Clean Air Act Reauthorization. The act now provides greater sanctions--both criminal and civil--for environmental law enforcement. The criminal dimension of environmental laws will make a difference in national efforts to clean up the country. Tough criminal sanctions should act as a strong deterrent to deliberate and careless polluters alike. To both the public and private sectors, these sanctions send a very firm message that shows law enforcement's determination to ensure compliance with environmental laws. Law enforcement agencies must work together to enforce existing environmental laws and policies to protect our communities from criminal pollution and hazardous wastes. Local, State, and Federal agencies need to team up to maximize the impact of our investigative resources. Joint investigations are especially effective because they draw on the experience of all contributing agencies. The FBI works closely with the Department of Justice's Environmental Crimes Section and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enforce environmental laws and to identify specific environmental crime problems. Through this combined effort, significant accomplishments in the investigation and prosecution of environmental criminals have been realized. A record number of felony indictments for environmental crimes was recorded in fiscal year 1990. Of the 134 indictments returned, 80 percent were against corporations and their top executives. More significantly, however, over one-half of those convicted of environmental crimes received prison sentences, and of those, 85 percent were jailed. In addition, nearly $30 million in fines were imposed. Environmental crime is a deadly serious subject with devastating consequences. People who endanger the planet for greed and profit must not be allowed to continue to break the law. Our environment is fragile, and it is up to all of us to protect it. Individuals must accept the responsibility for their own communities. Nations must set forth clear policies, laws, and regulations that will protect their environments. And, law enforcement and government agencies must relentlessly enforce these laws and policies.  Downloaded From P-80 International Information Systems 304-744-2253