The ANR Enforcement Division is organized as a separate, self-contained division within ANR and reports directly to the Agency General Counsel and Secretary. The Division enforces the environmental laws and regulations administered by the various regulatory programs within the departments located within the Agency of Natural Resources. It also provides investigative services for the Natural Resources Board (the administrator's of Act 250, Vermont's land use law).

The investigations unit of the Division is staffed by a Chief Environmental Enforcement Officer and, at full strength, eight Environmental Enforcement Officers (EEOs) located within designated geographical districts throughout the State. The EEOs investigate environmental complaints made by citizens as well as other matters referred to the Division by State and Federal agencies. The EEOs handle a wide variety of complaints including but not limited to: illegal transportation, storage and disposal of solid and hazardous waste; illegal open burning of prohibited materials; lake encroachments; wetlands violations; and various water quality complaints relating to permitted and non permitted discharges to State waters. Many of these investigations are subsequently referred to our legal unit for formal enforcement.

The legal unit of the Division is staffed by three attorneys, one of whom is also the Division director. This unit pursues formal enforcement actions which may conclude in a negotiated settlement or, if contested, a trial before the judge of the environmental court. These actions, whether settled or litigated, seek penalties, remediation and other conditions as necessary. We refer a number of major cases to the Attorney General who may file and prosecute a civil action, or, if justified by the nature of the offense, a criminal charge. Lesser criminal offenses may also be referred to the State's attorney in the county where the offense occurred.

The Division also employs an administrative assistant who is responsible for providing administrative support to the investigations and legal units, recording complaints, inputting data and maintaining written and electronic records, etc. In cooperation with the Vermont Law School, the Division hosts legal interns who have an interest in environmental law.

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