The Regional Environmental Task Force (RETF) and CAPCOG will lead two courses on how local governments can better prosecute environmental crimes and cleanup dumpsites and hazardous materials that threaten their resident’s health and safety. A basic and an intermediate environmental law course will be held at McKinney Roughs Nature Park, 1884 State Highway 71 in Cedar Creek, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 20 and 21, respectively.
The courses teach peace officers, code enforcement officers, sanitarians, and others best-practices for investigating environmental crimes, bringing individuals to trial, and abating dumpsites. RETF instructors discuss laws relating to unauthorized discharges in streams and lakes, solid waste regulations, nuisance violations, and outdoor burning as well as environmental crime trends. The intermediate course also focuses on hazardous waste violations and how personnel can identify hazardous chemicals. The RETF has more than 20 years of experience in combating environmental crimes and has partnered with CAPCOG since 2007 to train more than 600 people statewide.
Peace officers, code enforcement officers, and sanitarians earn six-hours of continuing education for completing each course. The basic course also grants four-hours of continuing education to on-site sewage facility workers.
