The Environmental Justice and Protection Section handles a broad range of significant environmental matters on behalf of the Attorney General and the State of California. Attorneys in the section practice an array of state and federal laws, including the California Environmental Quality Act, the Hazardous Waste Control Law, the California Endangered Species Act, Proposition 65, and the Unfair Competition Law, as well as federal laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Federal Power Act, the federal Endangered Species Act, and the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. Attorneys in the section use these laws to address existing and future pollution, mitigate the dangers posed by climate change, pursue equitable distribution of environmental benefits and burdens in communities, provide information on exposures to toxic chemicals, and reduce health impacts from environmental and other exposures.

The Environmental Justice and Protection Section utilizes the Attorney General’s broad statutory and common law enforcement authority to participate in local, state, and federal agency decision making, and to litigate complex environmental matters through all phases of state and federal courts, representing the Attorney General in his independent capacity. Duties include but are not limited to conducting difficult environmental investigations on behalf of the Attorney General; close coordination with District Attorney Offices, including joint prosecutions of both civil and criminal environmental cases; and providing legal advice on an ongoing basis to the Attorney General and, as needed, to California state agencies.

The Deputy Attorney General, Supervisor, directs and monitors the work of a team of subordinate attorneys, may directly supervise paralegals, and directs the work of support staff; evaluates the performance of subordinate attorneys and paralegals; provides training to subordinate attorneys and paralegals; handles general administrative matters; interviews and selects, or actively participates in the interview and selection process for, subordinate attorneys and paralegals; and personally performs the most difficult and complex legal work related to jury trials, bench trials, writs, appeals, and administrative hearings, which requires the highest level of independent judgment.