Delaware County’s environmental crime unit will act just like any other investigative team out of the district attorney’s office, writes Vinny Vella for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Once we get to the point where there’s reasonable suspicion that a crime occurred, we’ll keep following the evidence,” said Delco DA Jack Stollsteimer.

The state’s backlog of environmental cases is high and there’s nothing that keeps local DA’s from pursuing the cases on their own.

Stollsteimer hopes the new unit can focus on local worries about air and water.

“For residents, there has to be a place where they can go and try to get some answers,” Stollsteimer said. “And if the hammer of the DA’s Office helps to get those answers, and it’s nothing, then that’s great. But if there is somebody that can be held accountable for something that is harming the quality of life in Delaware County, we want to be ready for it.”

There’s a lot of industry to keep track of in the county.

The Covanta garbage incinerator is in Chester. There’s a natural gas infrastructure in Marcus Hook.

There’s also concern about illegal dumping and industrial fires.

Read more about the mission of Delco’s new environmental crimes unit here.

[uam_ad id=”62465″]