Environmental Enforcement Training

One crucial role Cal/EPA plays in California’s decentralized network of environmental regulation is coordinating and assisting in enforcement training. Unless otherwise noted, all training is for government staff only. Section 12812.2 of the California Government Code requires Cal/EPA to develop a program to ensure that all the boards, departments, offices, and other agencies that implement Cal/EPA's laws and regulations take consistent, effective, and coordinated compliance and enforcement actions. The statute specifically requires that the program includes training of inspection and enforcement personnel.

Cal/EPA Fundamental Inspector Course
This online course contains an overview of Cal/EPA Boards, Departments and local agencies, environmental law, environmental science, the role of the environmental inspector and basic field health and safety. This class is a prerequisite for attending the Basic Inspector Academy and/or the Cal/EPA Enforcement Symposium. Although the course was designed for new environmental inspectors, members of the public may find also this training helpful. To take the course, you will have to create an account and then be sent an email with the password needed to take the course.

Cal/EPA Basic Inspector Academy (BIA)
The BIA teaches environmental agency inspectors and other compliance professionals core knowledge and skills, and cross-media awareness needed to conduct quality inspections. To obtain a certificate of completion you must register and take both the online course and the 4-day classroom course.

Environmental Cross Media Enforcement Symposium
This annual four-day advanced training event is open to government, industry, and members of the public. Training sessions cover enforcement issues from each of Cal/EPA’s Boards and Departments. Real and mock case studies are presented to illustrate current enforcement topics. Cross program, cross media violations and investigations are emphasized.

2009 Training Calendars for Enforcement Conference and Classes

Request Enforcement Training
Environmental regulatory agencies needing enforcement training may submit a request to Jami Ferguson (please include in the subject line: request enforcement training).