My experiance was with mn epa. worked part time for a guy that did a few questionable things before i met him and epa got after him and never let go. he finally ended up selling his business and quitting doing scrap metal because he was getting nailed with fines left and right.

i do believe he deserved a few of them for free airing coolant out of refrigerators and burning stuff for metal. but as a first time offender reguardless of how many times he may have done it the fines we excessive and for them to completely shut him down over little stuff was just plain stupid.

example:

breaking down a car. fluids spill even when your careful. because he only removed a little topsoil when contamination was visible instead of excavating a crater to remove it he got leveled with 10k in fines and fees so they could dig said crater. also shut him down a week during this to "evaluate further contamination issues... " how many of us spilt a little fluid? pretty sure all of us at some point.

did he deserve fines for free airing freon? yes. burning trailerhouses? probably. but for a bit of spilt oil or coolant? thats what i mean by the dont leave you alone. he got checks for violations sometimes weekly.

not sure whos wheaties he pissed in but apparently he did a pretty good job of it. grant his may be an extreme case but still demonstrates what epa can do off thier leash.