> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.investigatemidwest.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# GRAPHIC: Fines for environmental violations dropped during Trump administration
- URL: https://www.investigatemidwest.org/graphic-fines-for-environmental-violations-dropped-during-trump-administration/
- Published: 2021-02-18T19:18:02.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-23T18:10:38.000Z
- Description: Fines have ebbed and flowed over the years, but there was a drop off in the past four years.
- Author: Ignacio Calderon, USA TODAY Network Agriculture Data Fellow, Investigate Midwest
- Tags: Environment, Data Harvest, TP::Explainer, Good Jobs First, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-06-18 04:56

Since 2000, Big Ag companies have been fined more than $600 million in penalties for environmental offenses, according to data from [Good Jobs First’s Violation Tracker](https://violationtracker.goodjobsfirst.org/prog.php?major%5Findustry%5Fsum=agribusiness&ref=investigatemidwest.org). Some of the largest fines were for companies that significantly underestimated emissions from their operations.

The single biggest fine came from a 2003 settlement for an estimated $340 million after Archer Daniels Midland’s “failed to accurately estimate its emissions from hundreds of process units,” according to the [Department of Justice](https://www.justice.gov/archive/opa/pr/2003/April/03%5Fenrd%5F216.htm?ref=investigatemidwest.org). ADM has since promised to capture much of its carbon but [has fallen short](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/despite-hundreds-of-millions-in-tax-dollars-adms-carbon-capture-program-still-hasnt-met-promised-goals/).

*\[Read more:* [*Despite hundreds of millions in tax dollars, ADM’s carbon capture program still hasn’t met promised goals*](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/despite-hundreds-of-millions-in-tax-dollars-adms-carbon-capture-program-still-hasnt-met-promised-goals/)*\]*

Environmental fines have ebbed and flowed over the years, but there was a clear drop off in penalties during the Trump administration. More than a hundred rules relating to carbon emissions, water pollution, toxic substances and others were rolled back during Trump’s administration, according to [The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/climate/trump-environment-rollbacks-list.html?te=1&nl=climate-fwd:&emc=edit%5Fclim%5F20210120&ref=investigatemidwest.org).

The Union of Concerned Scientists, a group that advocates for solving environmental problems, [accused](https://blog.ucsusa.org/elliott-negin/andrew-wheeler-decimated-epa?ref=investigatemidwest.org) Andrew Wheeler, Trump's pick to lead the EPA, of putting "polluting industries' profit margins" ahead of the environment and health of Americans.

*Note: This data doesn't include environmental violations from meatpacking or other livestock businesses*. *Good Jobs First's tracker includes federal, state and local fines.*