Environmental law course clears path for better enforcement

CAPCOG and the Capital Area Regional Environmental Task Force are offering their Basic Environmental Law Course on Feb. 3 at Zedler Mill Pavilion, 1170 S. Laurel Avenue, in Luling. For 26 years, the course has advanced local jurisdictions’ ability to investigate and prosecute environmental crimes across the state by training hundreds of local government officials.

During the past three decades, the course has changed as state legislation has provided local governments with more environmental enforcement authority, but it has kept its goal of ensuring local law and code enforcement officials, sanitation workers, as well as elected officials understand the legislative tools to protect and preserve the environment. The course trains municipal and county personnel on how to use various state statues to properly investigate, charge, and prosecute those responsible for creating public nuisance and illegal dump sites, conducting solid waste violations and illegal outdoor burnings, as well as polluting waterways. It also covers how to abate or mitigate illegal dumpsites.

The course seeks to prevent environmental crimes from becoming a health and safety risk as pollutants can damage surrounding vegetation, animals and waterways; illegal dumpsites can contain physically dangerous rubbish and attract vermin. The impacts of environmental crimes do not recognize geographic boundaries and often are a nuisance to property owners and area residents.

The CAPCOG Solid Waste program helps offset the course’s cost making it more affordable for attendees. The course provides continuing education credits for peace officers, code enforcement personnel, and sanitation workers.