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State Enforcement Associations Sponsor
April 2002 - First Annual
National Environmental Crime Prevention Week
Intergovernmental Partnerships
National Environmental CrimePrevention Week
Recognizing the importance of enlisting the public in the fight against environmental crimes, the four Regional Environmental Enforcement Associations declared April 7-13, 2002 "National Environmental Crime Prevention Week." The week's theme was designed to encourage individuals to recognize and report to law enforcement authorities those types of activities which indicate that an environmental crime may have occurred.
The observance, which was acknowledged by President George W. Bush in a message to the Regional Associations, coincided with its national conference in San Antonio, Texas. This years conference focused on the need to increase the awareness of the general public and enforcement personnel of the serious adverse impact of environmental crimes on the public health and the environment.
The Regional Associations, an alliance of more than 100 state and local regulatory and law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and Canada, provide environmental enforcement professions with formal training and professional networks to exchange information. Working with EPA's Criminal Enforcement program, association members serve on dozens of enforcement task forces, bringing the benefits of "community-based" environmental criminal enforcement to cities and towns nationwide.
President Bush's message (PDF) to the association, dated April 5, 2002.(pp, 104KB,About PDF)