Jim Provenza for Yolo County Supervisor Official Campaign Site

JIM'S ENVIRONMENTAL RECORD

I have a long record of advocacy on environmental issues. I have been a member of the Sierra Club since 1995. I have been employed for the last 15 years as a special assistant district attorney, representing prosecutors on legislative issues at the State Capitol. In 1995, I volunteered to add environmental enforcement to my legislative responsibilities. I was instrumental in establishing an environmental project involving district attorneys throughout California in advocacy on behalf of environmental enforcement and education. I accomplished the following:

In the 1995-6 California legislative session (the session during which many of our most important environmental law came under attack), 25 bills were introduced which would have significantly weakened enforcement of environmental laws, including an attempt to repeal laws requiring disclosures of toxic exposure and imposing fines upon those releasing deleterious substances into the water. Twenty four (24) of these bills were defeated as a result of our efforts.
In 1999, I wrote and was instrumental in the enactment of AB 1127 (Steinberg), the toughest workplace protection law in the nation. Under this law, toxic exposure in the workplace is subject to felony prosecution when a corporation violates safety standards. Corporations that violate this law are subject to penalties of up to $1.5 million per violation (Under previous laws fines of $5,000 were typical even where preventable deaths occurred).
In 1999, I joined Sierra Club and other environmental advocates to aid in the enactment of Senate Bill 25 (Escutia) which required that standards for air quality and toxic exposure be revised to protect the health of infants and children rather than being based upon levels of exposure known to harm adults.
In 2000, I wrote and was instrumental in the enactment of the Air Pollution Enforcement Act of 2000 (SB 1865) which substantially increased monetary penalties for air pollution violations, including criminal penalties of up to $1 million per day for intentional or reckless air violations by corporations. This legislation was supported by the Sierra Club and numerous other environmental groups.
In 2000-2004, I worked with the California District Attorneys Association to establish the Environmental Circuit Prosecutors Program. Under this program experienced environmental prosecutors are assigned to small counties that do not have the expertise or resources to prosecute environmental crime, particularly when a large corporation is involved. I personally raised over $200,000 in start-up funds for the program and was instrumental in obtaining several million dollars in state and federal funding for the program. As a result of this project, rural counties that had never filed an enforcement case are now prosecuting environmental crimes. The project was made a part of the state enforcement effort by AB 2486 (Keeley) in 2002.
In 2006 I worked with the California District Attorneys Association to enact tough new regulations and penalties for the unlawful disposal of grease waste into the waters of the state. (See AB 1333—Frommer)
In 2000-2007, I served as a trainer and educator for prosecutors and government regulators throughout California, as well as the United States and Canada. My focus is upon developing legislative solutions to environmental issues. I have also provided training on workplace safety and toxic exposure laws.

Overall, I believe my most important accomplishment was to forge an alliance between environmental advocacy groups and district attorneys.




	JIM'S ENVIRONMENTAL RECORD I have a long record of advocacy on environmental issues. I have been a member of the Sierra Club since 1995. I have been employed for the last 15 years as a special assistant district attorney, representing prosecutors on legislative issues at the State Capitol. In 1995, I volunteered to add environmental enforcement to my legislative responsibilities. I was instrumental in establishing an environmental project involving district attorneys throughout California in advocacy on behalf of environmental enforcement and education. I accomplished the following: In the 1995-6 California legislative session (the session during which many of our most important environmental law came under attack), 25 bills were introduced which would have significantly weakened enforcement of environmental laws, including an attempt to repeal laws requiring disclosures of toxic exposure and imposing fines upon those releasing deleterious substances into the water. Twenty four (24) of these bills were defeated as a result of our efforts. In 1999, I wrote and was instrumental in the enactment of AB 1127 (Steinberg), the toughest workplace protection law in the nation. Under this law, toxic exposure in the workplace is subject to felony prosecution when a corporation violates safety standards. Corporations that violate this law are subject to penalties of up to $1.5 million per violation (Under previous laws fines of $5,000 were typical even where preventable deaths occurred). In 1999, I joined Sierra Club and other environmental advocates to aid in the enactment of Senate Bill 25 (Escutia) which required that standards for air quality and toxic exposure be revised to protect the health of infants and children rather than being based upon levels of exposure known to harm adults. In 2000, I wrote and was instrumental in the enactment of the Air Pollution Enforcement Act of 2000 (SB 1865) which substantially increased monetary penalties for air pollution violations, including criminal penalties of up to $1 million per day for intentional or reckless air violations by corporations. This legislation was supported by the Sierra Club and numerous other environmental groups. In 2000-2004, I worked with the California District Attorneys Association to establish the Environmental Circuit Prosecutors Program. Under this program experienced environmental prosecutors are assigned to small counties that do not have the expertise or resources to prosecute environmental crime, particularly when a large corporation is involved. I personally raised over $200,000 in start-up funds for the program and was instrumental in obtaining several million dollars in state and federal funding for the program. As a result of this project, rural counties that had never filed an enforcement case are now prosecuting environmental crimes. The project was made a part of the state enforcement effort by AB 2486 (Keeley) in 2002. In 2006 I worked with the California District Attorneys Association to enact tough new regulations and penalties for the unlawful disposal of grease waste into the waters of the state. (See AB 1333—Frommer) In 2000-2007, I served as a trainer and educator for prosecutors and government regulators throughout California, as well as the United States and Canada. My focus is upon developing legislative solutions to environmental issues. I have also provided training on workplace safety and toxic exposure laws. Overall, I believe my most important accomplishment was to forge an alliance between environmental advocacy groups and district attorneys.