Regularly scheduled courses, workshops, and self-instructional courses are offered free of charge to employees of multi-state, state, local and tribal air pollution control agencies. APTI also offers special courses and workshops, and development of internal training programs to these agencies. The curriculum is organized according to subject matter and courses are available via four delivery formats: classroom, telecourse, self-instructional, and web-based.

Registration is required for some courses. Information as to which courses require registration and how to register can be found at APTI Registration Procedures. Individuals outside the U.S. may participate in self-instructional, classroom, and telecourses by contacting the APTI International Training Coordinator.

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques are proven in developing more innovative, longer-term, and pragmatic solutions to environmental and other disputes, with reduced transaction costs. EPA strongly encourages all EPA personnel to learn about ADR. Training is crucial not only for those selected to serve as in-house neutral third parties, but also for negotiators and others who need to understand how ADR can enhance negotiation and agency decision making. EPA's Conflict Prevention and Resolution staff are available to assist individuals and offices by identifying existing relevant ADR training. The CPRC also works with EPA offices to custom design training to meet organizational ADR needs.

The American Indian Environmental Office (AIEO) coordinates the Agency-wide effort to strengthen public health and environmental protection in Indian Country, with a special emphasis on building Tribal capacity to administer its own environmental programs. AIEO oversees development and implementation of the Agency's Indian Policy and strives to ensure that all EPA Headquarters and Regional Offices implement their parts of the Agency's Indian Program in a manner consistent with Administration policy to work with Tribes on a government-to-government basis and EPA's trust responsibility to protect Tribal health and environments.

The Air Resources Board (ARB) Enforcement Division proudly offers essential training. The purpose of this program is to provide comprehensive education to further the professional development of environmental specialists. The courses offered in this program provide current, practical, usable and cost-effective information for both new and experienced environmental professionals working in California. We offer similar training throughout the country and internationally. Please contact the National Program for information about courses offered outside California.

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is an international organization created by Canada, Mexico and the United States under the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC). The CEC was established to address regional environmental concerns, help prevent potential trade and environmental conflicts, and to promote the effective enforcement of environmental law. The Agreement complements the environmental provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Established by the U.S. EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, the Drinking Water Academy (DWA) is a long-term training initiative whose primary goal is to expand EPA, State, and Tribal capabilities to implement the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). In addition to providing classroom and Web-based training, the DWA will act as a resource for training materials pertaining to SDWA implementation. EPA formed the DWA to help EPA, States, and Indian Tribes enhance program capability to meet the public health protection objectives of the SDWA requirements. The 1996 SDWA Amendments created a number of new programmatic challenges for the States, Tribes, and the water systems they regulate. The Amendments also provided new funding opportunities to meet these growing needs. DWA training will support EPA, State, and Tribal efforts to implement these new regulations.

The Environmental Compliance Consortium (ECC) is a voluntary collaboration among state environmental agencies to improve the effectiveness of their compliance and enforcement programs with the goal of improving the environment. The ECC works to develop better ways for agencies to measure, manage, motivate, and communicate compliance and environmental performance of regulated facilities in each state. The Consortium also provides agency managers with the opportunity to share experiences and receive informal peer feedback on strategies for improving state enforcement and compliance programs.

The training courses in this program are designed for personnel who respond to spill events; or who investigate and clean up abandoned hazardous waste sites. Training is provided in safety and health as well as in the various technical operations needed to identify, evaluate, and control hazardous substances that have been released. The Program also maintains the capacity to swiftly compile technically focused, topic specific courses to address a current issue facing responders (Anthrax, biohazards, air monitoring for Weapons of Mass Destruction-First Responders).

The International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE) is a partnership of government and non-government enforcement and compliance practitioners from more than 150 countries. INECE's goals are: raising awareness to compliance and enforcement; developing networks for enforcement cooperation; and strengthening capacity to implement and enforce environmental requirements.

The Pesticide Inspector Residential Training (PIRT) program trains federal, state, and tribal pesticide inspectors and field supervisors on how to conduct various types of pesticide inspections. PIRT offers three courses, sometimes in combination:· Pesticide Use Inspection Training Course· Pesticide Product Enforcement Training Course · Worker Protection Inspector Training Course

The Pesticide Regulatory Education Program (PREP) is an educational program for senior management, senior scientists, managers and supervisors of field enforcement and compliance assurance programs, and those slated for management positions of pesticide regulatory and environmental management programs throughout the U.S. PREP was piloted in 1990 at UC Davis Extension by Jake Mackenzie, Western Director, Field and External Affairs Division, U.S. EPA and Dennis Pendleton, Dean, UC Davis Extension. PREP is now under the leadership of John Ward as it grows into its seventeenth year of success in 2006. UC Davis Extension remains as the flagship host organization for this unique educational opportunity.

• Midwest Environmental Enforcement Association
  Jim Triner, Executive Director
  630-762-8610
  meeajim@aol.com
• Northeast Environmental Enforcement Project
  Connie Morder, Executive Director
  609-896-8835
  northeast-project@njdcj.org
• Southern Environmental Enforcement Network
  Geary Allen, Executive Director
  205-414-9748
  gallen/SEEN@clainc.net
• Western States Project
  Thomas Fahey, Executive Director
  602-542-8510
  tomfahey@earthlink.net

The Regional Associations promote the effective enforcement of state and local environmental statutes and regulations, with a strong emphasis on criminal enforcement. Members include state environmental regulatory agencies, attorneys general offices, law enforcement agencies and local prosecutor organizations. The Regional Associations provide state and local environmental enforcement professionals with a forum for training and networking, and with formal mechanisms for the exchange of information.

Over the last two decades, there has been an increasing focus on the potential threat of environmental stressors to human health and ecosystems, leading to the emergence of risk assessment as a discipline. In addition to developing and providing risk assessment guidance, NCEA has the responsibility for training in risk assessment and related areas.The courses are designed for EPA personnel, but they have also proven useful for individuals in state and local government, industry, and academia. Each can be modified to fit the needs of specific audiences, both at the national and international level.

In partnership with the Interstate Technology Regulatory Council, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a range of training information to EPA, other federal agency, state, tribal, and local staff involved in hazardous waste management and remediation. This site includes training schedules for deliveries of many courses - both classroom and Internet-based.

The Watershed Academy was started by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water in 1994 to provide training courses and educational materials on the fundamentals of a watershed approach. Our target audience includes local, state, tribal, and federal officials as well as citizens and private practitioners of watershed management. The Watershed Academy has four main components: Live watershed training courses; Web-based training; Information Transfer Series publications and; State/tribal watershed program assistance.The Watershed Academy is a focal point in EPA's Office of Water for providing training and information on implementing watershed approaches.