Posted on: Tuesday, March 4, 2003

EPA hosts environment workshops

By Zenaida Serrano Espanol
Advertiser Staff Writer

Environmental enforcement officials from the state, counties and other Pacific Islands need to share information about environmental crimes to better protect the environment and the health of communities, environmental groups said yesterday.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Criminal Enforcement, Forensics and Training is hosting a four-day Pacific Islands Conference on environmental crimes and security. The conference opened yesterday at the Renaissance Ilikai Hotel.

"The primary emphasis here is to provide information to the participants about the criminal enforcement aspect of environmental enforcement," said Fred Burnside, an EPA special agent.

About 65 attendees will participate in workshops on topics including EPA resources available to the Islands and examples of successful environmental criminal cases in the Pacific region.