epcounty.com

Lee Shapleigh
Division Chief
(915) 546-2081

Cristina Viesca-Santos
Environmental Prosecutor

Monday - Friday
8:00am to 5:00pm
 500 E. San Antonio
5th Floor, Suite 503
El Paso, Texas 79901
Phone (915) 546-2050
Fax (915) 546-2133
comments
@ca.epcounty.com

County Attorney

  • Environmental Crime Unit
  • Click here to Report Environmental Crimes
  • The County Attorney Environmental Unit is responsible for the prosecution of environmental polluters.
  • Environmental Crimes
  • The goal is to apprehend and prosecute individuals engaged in illegal dumping and trash burning and other environmental crimes through cooperation with local and federal law enforcement agencies.
  • -actively prosecute environmental crime cases within 30 days of referral from El Paso County Sheriff's deputies
  • -conduct monthly meetings with Sheriff Deputies to review cases; present educational forums to civic organizations, schools and community groups to inform them of the enforcement of illegal dumping laws
  • -catalog all existing cases by type of violation to determine the nature and frequency of environmental crimes being committed in El Paso County
  • Environmental Crimes
    • El Paso County residents are at risk for serious health problems caused by illegal dumping, polluted water and polluted air. The County Attorney's Office recognizes the severity of this problem and is active in the resolution of it. A full time Environmental Prosecutor is assigned by the County Attorney to prosecute misdemeanor environmental crimes, such as illegal dumping, illegal outdoor burning, water pollution, and public nuisances.
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  • The Criminal Unit's goal is to prosecute violators of the Texas Health and Safety Code, Texas Water Code, and the Texas Clean Air Act. We seek to decrease environmental violations through increased prosecutions, to safeguard our community's health and precious natural resources.
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  • The Environmental Prosecutor also participates in the following activities:
  • -Training of law enforcement officers and city and county health and building inspectors in environmental crimes;
  • -Presentations regarding environmental violations and issues to community and civic groups;
  • -Presentations to schools regarding environmental crimes and the adverse effects on our community;
  • -Chair of the El Paso County Environmental Task Force. The County Attorney created the task force to bring local, state and federal agencies that enforce environmental laws together to investigate and prosecute violators;
  • -Helps organize and participates in health fairs;
  • -Participates in various environmental groups/meetings; and
  • -Works with local agencies and community groups to create solutions to the environmental issues that face our community, such as the annual Environmental Summit/El Paso Pride, and the El Paso County Criminal Justice Planning Alliance.
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  • To report environmental crimes, call the Sheriff's Dept. ENVIRONMENTAL HOTLINE 1-888-6ELPASO or 1-888-635-7276
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  • OR YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR HEALTH INSPECTOR
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  • Always dispose of your own waste properly.
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  • You are ultimately responsible for your own waste, even if you give it to someone else to dispose of it, or even if you tell them to dispose of your trash legally. You should do everything possible to see that your trash is legally disposed of. If you pay someone to haul your trash, you should obtain the following before the hauler receives the trash:
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  • A signed statement from the hauler saying that the waste/trash will be disposed of legally; and the statement must include the hauler's valid Texas driver's license number.
  • Sewage Disposal Cases:
  • The goal is assist the City-County Health Department in their prosecution of sewage disposal violations of the Texas Health and Safety Code where the violation causes harm to the health and safety of the public.
  • -establish monthly hearings with Justice of the Peace courts
  • -assist the City-County Health Department in their criminal prosecution of sewage disposal violations by representing the State of Texas at sewage disposal hearings in the Justice of Peace courts
  • -meet with City-County Health Department inspectors to coordinate filing, review existing cases and prepare for hearings
  • -increase communications with community organizations involved with organizing residents in illegal subdivisions
  • -coordinate with adult probation to create a community service program tailored to violators of the sewage facility order