Watchdog: Penalties on corporate violators drop under Trump
Source: The Hill
The Trump administration has reportedly imposed fewer penalties on corporations that broke the law or violated regulations during President Trump’s first year in office, according to a watchdog group.
Public Citizen found that in 11 of 12 federal agencies, penalties against corporate violators dropped by at least 50 percent under the oversight of Trump-appointed officials, The Associated Press, which reviewed the findings, reported.
The most significant impact was reportedly at the Environmental Protection Agency, run by Scott Pruitt until earlier this month. The agency levied $1.5 billion in penalties against corporate violators last year, according to the AP, compared to $24 billion during President Obama’s final year in office.
The news service reported that Public Citizen cited Syngenta Seeds LLC, which faced a $4.9 million penalty in 2016 for violating pesticide regulations. However, after Trump took office, the EPA lowered the penalty to $150,000 along with a $400,000 investment in a worker training program, it added.
Read more: http://thehill.com/regulation/administration/398721-watchdog-penalties-on-corporate-violators-drop-under-trump