Environmental Law Enforcement Training available in El Reno

Monday, March 5, 2018

If you take a drive down the back roads of Oklahoma, it is most likely you will find an illegal dump site. These dumps are not only unsightly and illegal, they also can cause damage to the environment.

These sites can cause contamination of soil, ground water, drinking water wells, stream and rivers, said Kiema Kamara, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension assistant state specialist with the Solid Waste Management Program.

“Other side effects include possible injury to children playing on or around the dump site, damage to plant and wildlife habitats and even a decrease in the quality of life to nearby residents and the local community,” Kamara said.

To help combat this problem, OSU Cooperative Extension is joining forces with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide training across the state. These groups are collaborating with the Canadian County Sheriff’s Department to host an Oklahoma Environmental Law Enforcement Training Seminar slated April 5. This free seminar will take place at the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office Annex, 201 North Rock Island in El Reno. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the seminar will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Space is limited to 40 participants and preregistration is required. The registration form may be downloaded at http://agecon.okstate.edu/waste/files/flyer%2018.pdf.

“We encourage anyone who is interested in environmental law and those with a responsibility for preventing illegal dumping in their county to attend this seminar,” Kamara said. “Participants will gain expertise in environmental crimes investigations involving solid and hazardous waste, air and water pollution, open burning and agency jurisdictional issues. We’ll also provide information about identifying resources for improving local enforcement programs and networking with others involved in environmental enforcement.”

Law enforcement officers, tribal environmental representatives, county commissioners, city officials and local citizens are encouraged to attend.

Michael Freeman, senior criminal investigator with the ODEQ, will be on hand to share his expertise. He will speak about agency jurisdictions and environmental crime statutes and give an overview of illegal dumping and environmental crime awareness. In addition, Kamara will share information about OSU Cooperative Extension’s role and the role citizens can take in helping control illegal dumping.

Eight hours of law enforcement credit is available. Provide your CLEET number on the registration form.

For questions about this seminar, please contact Kamara at 405-744-9827 or email at kiema.kamara@okstate.edu.