Illegal Dumping Enforcement
Texas 2022 Edition

Sold Out … 2024 Edition in Preparation

Limited Scholarships Available -
Coastal Bend Council of Governments

Limited to counties and cities in the CBCOG Region

Click here for additional information and application
In-Seat Classes
Lufkin Enforcement Training

Apr 12 -
Principles of Enforcement and Abatement
Apr 13 -
Illegal Dumping Enforcement
Information and Registration

Texarkana Enforcement Training
Apr 26 -
Principles of Enforcement and Abatement
Apr 27 -
Enforcing Public Health Nuisance Laws
Information and Registration

Denton Enforcement Training
May 11 -
Principles of Enforcement and Abatement
May 12 -
Substandard Structure Investigations
Information and Registration

Brenham Enforcement Training
May 23 -
Principles of Enforcement and Abatement
May 24 - Enforcing Public Health Nuisance Laws
Information and Registration

Longview Enforcement Training
June 6 -
Principles of Enforcement and Abatement
June 7 - Enforcing Public Health Nuisance Laws
Information and Registration

San Angelo
June 16 -
Principles of Enforcement and Abatement
Information and Registration

Kaufman
June 20 Principles of Enforcement and Abatement
https://www.nctcog.org/envir/events (Go to June calendar)

McKinney
June 27 Principles of Enforcement and Abatement
https://www.nctcog.org/envir/events (Go to June calendar)

Euless
July 11 Illegal Dumping Enforcement
https://www.nctcog.org/envir/events (Go to July calendar)

Brenham Special Class
Aug 28 -
Substandard Structure Investigations
Information and Registration

All of these are six-hour TDLR-approved Continuing Education classes;

Most law enforcement agencies recognize these as
TCOLE 3880 Environmental Law classes (check with your department training officer before registering);

All include one-hour
Legal and Legislative Update Regarding the Profession of Code Enforcement
Self-Paced Online Classes
Click Here to Register for Any of These Self-Paced Classes
TIDRC000 Orientation to Local Environmental Enforcement; 1 CEU; FREE
TIDRC001 Legal/Legislative Update for Code Officers; 1 CEU; $25
TIDRC002 Local Control of Oil and Gas Waste; 6 CEU's; $39
TIDRC003 Illegal Dumping Enforcement; 6 CEU's; $39
TIDRC004 Illegal Outdoor Burning; 6 CEU's; $39
TIDRC005 Environmental Crimes of Local Governments; IN DEVELOPMENT
TIDRC006 Ethics of Local Enforcement; 6 CEU's; $39
TIDRC007 Enforcing Public Health Nuisance Laws; 6 CEU's; $39
TIDRC008 Local Control of Scrap Tires; 6 CEU's; $39
TIDRC012 Coordinated Local Environmental Enforcement; 6 CEU's; $39
TIDRC015 Current Topics in Local Environmental Enforcement; 6 CEU's; $39
Why not try a free Self-Paced online class?
Complete TIDRC000 Orientation to Environmental Enforcement and earn one TDLR-approved hour. This will give you a no-risk chance to evaluate the process. Click here to get started.
Discounts for Online Training
Access all classes for $150 per year … or less!
Need several classes this year? You can register as a TIDRC Continuing Student and access all of our current and coming online classes for 365 days from date of your registration by paying a small access fee. If your city has several officers who need classes, discounts are also available for groups. Or maybe you just need the hours TDLR requires for License Renewal. Click here to check out the options available.
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Online Classes Are Popular and Ready When You Are
Our online classes are growing in popularity. Since we've began offering them, students have taken a total of 3,150 online classes as of September 1, 2019.

Why not try a free online class?
Complete TIDRC000 Orientation to Environmental Enforcement and earn one TDLR-approved hour. This will give you a no-risk chance to evaluate the process. Click here to get started.
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Illegal Dumping Enforcement
Officer's Guide

This is the 2022 edition of the popular enforcement book we have been publishing for over ten years.
440 pages … $28 per copy, delivered.

See contents

Read a Chapter:
Chapter 5: Current Issues in Local Enforcement
Chapter 11: Local Control of Scrap Tires


Sold Out … 2024 Edition in Preparation
Laws and Other Resources
Looking for copies of the most frequently used anti-pollution laws or need other resources to become better informed or to do a better job? Here we post copies of relevant laws and rules, discussion papers on various topics, presentations, and our popular field guides for officers and officials. Feel free to download and use this material to fight local pollution with local resources.
Frequently used environmental laws
Additional useful resources
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Oil and Gas Waste Problems?
Just about all kinds of illegal dumping can be controlled by local governments, including sloppy oil and gas waste hauling as shown here in Jim Wells County. Local governments in the oil patch can exercise criminal enforcement powers to keep their communities clean (shown here: multiple criminal violations of Texas Water Code Chapter 29, handled at the county level). Classes on this and other kinds of dumping provide continuing education credits to code enforcement officers and registered sanitarians (approved by the Department of State Health Services) and peace officers (TCOLE). Click here for information on our online class Local Control of Oil and Gas Waste
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Contact Us
Please feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions on illegal dumping or other forms of pollution, to discuss the political issues that surround local empowerment, to send us pictures of dumping, or just to have a private conversation about a situation. The people working on these issues around our state are absolutely amazing, and we love to hear from you. So tell us about your successes and challenges, and maybe we can help. My email address is ockels@tidrc.com

Local Enforcement

Most illegal dumping, water pollution, illegal outdoor burning, and public health nuisances can be effectively controlled by cities and counties using these approaches.

1. Municipal Code Enforcement (Applies only inside most cities)

Fine to $500 / $4,000; Enforced By: Municipal code enforcement officers

2. Public Health Nuisance Violations (Applies everywhere in Texas)
THSC Chap. 341. Minimum Standards of Sanitation and Health Protection Measures
Fine of $10 to $200; Subsequent conviction within one year of first: $10 to $1,000 and/or 30 days jail; Enforced By: Peace officers; Local Health Department; County employee trained by health authority (see THSC Chapter 121); Especially see THSC Sec. 341.013(c) for a violation covering many situations; penalties at Sec. 341.091 (criminal) and Sec. 341.092 (civil)

3. Public Nuisance in Unincorporated Areas (Not including “agricultural” land)
THSC Chap. 343. Abatement of Public Nuisances; Fine of $50 to $200; Subsequent conviction at any future date: $200 to $1,000 and/or 6 months jail; Enforced By: Peace officers; Local Health Department; County employee trained by health authority (see THSC Chapter 121)

4. Illegal Dumping onto Land and into Water (Applies everywhere in Texas)
THSC Chap. 365. Litter; Enforced By: Peace officers; Sets a penalty of Class C, B, or A Misdemeanor or State Jail Felony based on weight or volume dumped; disposal of waste on one's own property generally not allowed

5. Water Pollution (Applies everywhere in Texas)
Enforced By: Peace officers
TWC Sec. 7.145. Intentional or Knowing Unauthorized Discharge (Felony)
For individual: $1,000 to $100,000 and/or Prison to 5 years; Other than individual: $1,000 to $250,000; Subsequent conviction at any time: doubling of possible maximum penalties;
TWC Sec. 7.147. Unauthorized Discharge (Misdemeanor)
For individual: $1,000 to $50,000 and/or Jail to 1 year; Other than individual: $1,000 to $100,000; Subsequent conviction at any time: doubling of possible maximum penalties

6. Oil and Gas Waste (Applies everywhere in Texas)
Enforced By: Peace officers
TWC Chap. 29. Oil and Gas Waste Haulers
$100 to $1,000 fine and/or up to 10 days in jail; Subsequent convictions are not spoken to in the statute;
TNRC Sec. 91.002 Provisions Generally Applicable
Fine to $10,000 in county where violation occurs for most violations of 16 TAC Sec. 3.8 Water Protection rule

7. Illegal Outdoor Burning (Applies everywhere in Texas)
Enforced By: Peace officers
TWC Sec. 7.182. Reckless Emission of Air Contaminant and Endangerment (Felony)
$1,000 to $250,000 and/or prison to 5 years; Subsequent convictions are not spoken to in the statute;

TWC Sec. 7.177. Violations of Clean Air Act (Misdemeanor)
Sec. 7.177(a)(5); $1,000 to $50,000 and/or jail to 6 months; Primarily used to respond to people violating the Texas Outdoor Burning Rule (30 TAC Sec. 111,
Subchapter B); TCEQ enforces administratively; local police enforce criminally; Note that there are some potential problems with the penalties, so you should discuss this with your county attorney before enforcing

8. Hazardous Waste Violations (Applies everywhere in Texas)
Initial penalties are major; Subsequent conviction at any time: generally a doubling of possible maximum penalties; All of these violations are enforced by: Peace officers; See TWC Sec. 7.162 and Sec. 7.163 for various violations and penalties

9. Additional Specified Major Environmental Misdemeanors and Felonies (Applies everywhere in Texas)
TWC Sec. 7.141 to TWC Sec. 7.185; covers various violations involving medical waste; used motor oil; lead acid batteries and other environmental violations;
All of these violations are enforced by: Peace officers; most carry mayor penalties

Disclaimer: Provision of this information does not constitute the practice of law. Local governments and other readers are encouraged to discuss the use of these provisions and approaches with their attorney and local prosecutors. If we can assist in this process, please contact us.