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The United States has crossed the Rubicon into making arrests for ‘climate crimes.’

A new report by the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris detailed enforcement actions it has taken this year on climate penalties, and it includes an arrest, Fox News reported.

“The EPA worked to implement the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act, which requires the agency to reduce hydrofluorocarbons, a synthetic compound commonly used for refrigeration or air conditioning, by 85% by 2036,” the report said.

“The AIM Act led to the arrest of Michael Hart, of San Diego, in March on charges related to ‘smuggling potent greenhouse gases,’ highlighted in the EPA report. The charges marked the first-ever greenhouse gas-related arrest issued under the AIM Act, but according to an EPA press release from earlier this year, ‘it will not be the last,’” it said.

It also recorded its highest total of penalties since 2017, topping $1.7 billion.

“The agency’s environmental enforcement efforts also saw 1,851 civil cases concluded, 121 criminal defendants charged, and it issued more than 225 million pounds of “pollution reductions” in “overburdened communities,” according to the report. As of the end of 2024, there are about 480 open criminal investigations on environmental programs,” the report said.

Compared to the numbers from 2023, there was a 3.4 percent increase in civil cases and a 17.6 percent increase in criminal charges.

It also said that the “implementation of EPA’s national priorities” led to a “12% increase in criminal leads opened because of referrals from EPA Headquarters and regional offices.”

“In Fiscal Year 2024, EPA’s enforcement and compliance assurance program produced its strongest results since 2017, focusing on efforts to combat climate change and tackling some of the nation’s most significant environmental threats to our shared air, water and land,” Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance David M. Uhlmann, said. “The progress made under the Biden-Harris Administration has sent a clear signal that polluters will be held accountable and that protecting communities from harm is a top priority.”

In November President-elect Donald Trump took a significant step toward reversing key elements of the Biden administration’s climate policies by selecting former New York GOP Representative Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as its administrator, according to The New York Post.

Zeldin previously served as a U.S. Representative for New York’s 1st congressional district and gave New York Gov. Kathy Hochul a run for her money in 2022 as the GOP nominee.

With years of political experience, he is known for his conservative positions on various issues, and he has a military background, having served in the United States Army.

“I am deeply honored to have been asked by President Trump to serve in his Cabinet. As EPA Administrator, we will restore American energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, make the United States the global leader of Artificial Intelligence advancement, and slash the red tape holding back American workers from upward economic mobility,” Zeldin said in a statement.

“We will accomplish all this while conserving our environment, protecting access to clean air and water, and keeping the American people healthy. I look forward to contributing to President Trump’s agenda to build a more prosperous future for our nation,” he concluded.

Trump also responded after naming Zeldin.

“Lee, with a very strong legal background, has been a true fighter for America First policies. He will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet,” he said in a statement.

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