paying

Reporting from Washington — Numbers released by the Trump administration Friday show an 80% drop in some penalties levied against polluters, the latest sign that the Environmental Protection Agency has become a less aggressive watchdog.

Injunctive relief — the amount of money polluters commit to pay to correct problems and prevent them from reoccurring — fell from $20.6 billion in fiscal 2017 to $3.95 billion in fiscal 2018. That represents a 15-year low for the agency.

Civil penalties in 2018 declined to $69 million. That was far less than the $1.68 billion in 2017, but that year’s figure was impacted by fines negotiated during the Obama administration.

Volkswagen agreed in 2016 to a $1.45-billion penalty as punishment for its diesel emissions scandal.

In releasing the figures, EPA officials said they were focused in 2018 on ensuring that facilities were in compliance and expediting site cleanup.

The latest from Washington »

“A strong enforcement and compliance assurance program is essential to achieving positive public health and environmental outcomes,” Susan Bodine, assistant administrator of the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, said in a statement.

The EPA’s data span fiscal year 2018, which ended Sept. 30. For the most part, the figures reflect enforcement activity — cases that were settled, fines that were assessed — that took place under the Trump administration.

Civil penalties are at their lowest since 1994, when the enforcement office was created, said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for the EPA’s enforcement office during the Obama administration.

“EPA is trying to convince media and the public that EPA is still doing its job on enforcement, despite all of the reports showing that isn’t the case,” Giles said in a statement. “Not only are the Trump EPA’s enforcement numbers at historic lows, they are on track to get worse.”

Some of the numbers in Friday’s report suggest that future declines in enforcement are in store. For example, federal inspections and evaluations conducted by the EPA have continued to drop. Last year, the agency conducted about half as many inspections as it did in 2010.

David Coursen, who was an attorney in the EPA’s office of general counsel until 2015, said that the danger of drastically lowering penalties is that it removes the incentive for corporations to follow environmental laws.

“Anytime there’s a reduction, there’s going to be a suggestion that there’s a free pass,” Coursen said. “So the requirement to follow the law is going to be less compelling.”

Last month, the Department of Justice released numbers showing that the EPA had hit a 30-year low in 2018 in the number of pollution cases it referred for criminal prosecution.

More stories from Anna M. Phillips »

ONE of the world’s most famous museums is set to nearly double its entry fee for tourists.

The Louvre museum in Paris will increase its ticket prices by 45 per cent for most non-European Union visitors, which includes Brits.

The price hike is set to be introduced early next year, with tourists from countries including the UK, US and China having to pay €32 (£28) to enter the museum.

It is set to raise millions of euros each year to fund a huge overhaul of the Louvre’s most famous gallery.

The price increase follows a heist that took place in October that hit the news globally.

Security and management have been criticised since the incident, which saw four people steal jewellery worth over £76million from the museum.

Read more on travel inspo

TAKING OFF

I’ve visited 50 countries & this much-loathed budget airline is the world’s best

SI MORE

Ditch Paris and Mykonos… experts reveal most overrated hols and where to go instead

After the heist, an audit on the museum was carried out which highlighted how the museum has inadequate security systems and aging infrastructure.

As a result, from January 14, visitors from countries outside the European Economic Area (EU member states, as well as Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein) will need to pay an extra €10 (£8.76) to enter the museum.

The new price jump is estimated to raise between €15million (£13.1million) to €20million (£17.5million) each year for the museum, which will go towards supporting the Louvre’s modernisation plans.

Over the past year, the museum has faced a number of issues to do with its structure.

Back in January, French President Emmanuel Macron and the Louvre announced that the museum would be getting improvements and as a part of that suggested higher fees for non-EU residents in 2026.

As part of the report, Macron also said that the Mona Lisa would be moved to a new room to deal with the overcrowding.

It followed the leak of a letter from the museum’s director Laurence des Cars, which highlighted how the museum had several structural issues, water leaks and even that the museum could no longer cope with the current numbers of visitors heading to the attraction each day.

The Louvre will also have a number of other areas renovated, with new facilities added too, such as toilets and restaurants.

And earlier this month, the museum announced that the gallery which houses Greek ceramics was closed due to structural issues.

Each year the Louvre welcomes around nine million people, and more than a 10th of visitors are from the US.

Complaints about overcrowding and long queues at the museum have been going on for a while now, especially through the Salle des Etats gallery, which is where the famous Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is displayed.

Many visitors note how you actually only get a few seconds to see the painting and snap a picture.

The report carried out after the heist last month also revealed that the museum was spending more money on buying new artworks than actually maintaining the attraction itself.

In other museum news, the UK’s newest national museum is more like an IKEA store – and Kate Middleton is already a fan.

Plus, a new £12.5 million museum based on a very famous children’s artist to be ‘world’s largest of its kind’.

A travel enthusiast shared the simple hack she uses to avoid paying for extra luggage on flights

Nobody wants to pay for extra luggage on a flight, and yet passengers often find themselves forking out when they overpack their bags. For many holidaymakers, it’s all too easy to overload a suitcase, especially if you’re travelling in winter, when you need to pack many layers.

From knitted jumpers to padded coats, winter packing involves lots of bulky items. Fortunately, a frequent flyer has shared a ‘simple’ suitcase hack that ‘will change the way you travel’ in winter. Posting on TikTok under the username @ourhappypassports, travel lovers Aishani and Bhavya often post about their holidays, and the couple recently revealed a packing hack ideal for winter.

In a video shared this week, the couple demonstrated how they pack multiple ‘fluffy winter jackets’ in their luggage without paying extra. The caption said: “This simple packing hack will change the way you travel this winter.

“No more sitting on your suitcase, no more paying for extra luggage — just a smart trick that lets you carry multiple jackets without the bulk. Perfect for those chilly Europe or mountain trips where you want options — without dragging another bag.”

In the clip, @ourhappypassports revealed they use a ‘simple’ packing method to compress their coats and save space in their luggage. To use the method, simply roll the bottom of your coat inside out, then tuck the sleeves and hood inside the pouch and fold the rest of the jacket inside as well.

As seen in the video, the folded jacket only takes up half the space you’d otherwise use inside your suitcase. The tip proved popular with social media users. The video racked up over 50k views.

Reacting to the video, one commenter said: “I fold them into the hood or the pocket.” @ourhappypassports replied: “I do that too, but some are too fluffy for that!!” Someone else asked: “Have you tried the compression bags and if so what are your thoughts on it?”

The reply read: “Yup, they crease the jackets too much!!” Nonetheless, compression bags are popular with many travellers. Using packing cubes, storage bags, and similar items can help passengers reduce the size of their luggage, whether they are used for storing jackets or other clothing items.

For travel enthusiasts seeking options, most budget retailers offer a selection of travel accessories. For instance, Home Bargains stocks a £4.99 TravelShop Travel Cubes Pack Of 3.

The product description states: “These travel cubes are rectangular-shaped fabric containers that help keep clothes and other travel essentials neatly packed and easily accessible during trips.

“The pack of 3 contains three individual travel cubes. Each cube comes in a different size, allowing you to separate and organise different types of items within your suitcase or travel bag.”