The Environmental Protection Agency rarely follows up prosecuting coal companies and their fellow polluters, even when the evidence is clear-cut that they are dumping and poisoning entire towns near their projects, and the state regulators are even worse.

Suzy Shuster's quote highlights the lack of enforcement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in holding coal companies and other polluters accountable for the environmental damage they cause. She points out that even when there is clear-cut evidence of pollution—such as companies dumping waste or poisoning towns near their projects—the EPA often fails to follow through with prosecution. This reflects a broader issue of regulatory inaction or inadequate responses to environmental violations, despite the presence of substantial evidence.

The quote also criticizes state regulators, suggesting that they are even less effective than federal agencies when it comes to overseeing environmental protection. Shuster implies that local and state-level enforcement of environmental laws is often more lenient or permissive, allowing harmful practices to persist without significant consequences. This weak regulatory framework contributes to the ongoing environmental harm caused by industries like coal mining, which can have devastating effects on communities and ecosystems.

Shuster’s criticism reflects broader concerns about the ineffectiveness of regulatory bodies in curbing the power of major corporations and the influence of industries that often have significant political sway. By emphasizing the failure to prosecute, she is pointing to a systemic issue within the regulatory structure, where laws designed to protect the environment and public health are not enforced robustly enough to create real change.

Ultimately, Shuster’s statement serves as a call to action for more effective regulation and accountability in industries that harm the environment. She argues that the failure of both federal and state agencies to properly regulate and prosecute polluters undermines public trust in the system and allows environmental damage to continue unchecked, with long-lasting consequences for both human health and the planet.