Environmental Remediation of Illegal Cannabis Operations

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office created the Environmental Cannabis Unit in response to the rise in large scale illegal cannabis grow houses negatively impacting residents and communities across San Bernardino County. In collaboration with investigators and personnel from San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, San Bernardino County Code Enforcement, San Bernardino County Fire/Hazmat, California State Resource Control Board, (LaHaontan Water District) investigations of property and land owners were brought to the District Attorney Environmental Cannabis Unit to review for violations related to illegal cannabis cultivations such as water theft, unpermitted structures, illegal weapons, chemical waste, and water and land pollution. By filing charges and requiring remediation by the landowners to address and correct code violations, the County of San Bernardino saved taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in cleanup costs, as well as garnered reimbursement of costs related to wildlife and sheriff’s operations, while simultaneously improving the quality of life, the environment, and property values for residents in areas previously plagued by large scale illegal cannabis operations.