Environmental Protection

The California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) administers the state's environmental protection programs, which focus on restoring, preserving, and enhancing California's environmental quality and protecting public health.

The Secretary for Environmental Protection oversees the six boards, departments, and offices within Cal/EPA:

  • Air Resources Board - The Air Board sets statewide air quality standards and regulates emissions from motor vehicles, fuels, and consumer products. The Board, along with the 35 local air quality districts that regulate other sources of air pollution, monitors air pollution and administers regulatory and incentive programs to improve air quality. The Board is also the lead for implementation of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.
  • Integrated Waste Management Board - The Waste Board's mission is to reduce solid waste, encourage recycling and reuse of materials, and regulate the disposal of solid waste. The Board oversees the local enforcement agencies to ensure the proper operation and closure of solid waste landfills.
  • Department of Pesticide Regulation - The Department of Pesticide Regulation evaluates the effectiveness and potential health risks of pesticide products, licenses pesticide applicators, and oversees local agricultural commissioners' enforcement of pesticide laws.
  • State Water Resources Control Board - The Water Board, which includes nine regional water quality control boards, protects water quality by regulating pollutants discharged into the state's ground water, rivers, lakes, and the Pacific Ocean. The Board issues water rights permits and licenses to ensure that water resources are put to beneficial use.
  • Department of Toxic Substances Control - The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) protects public health and the environment by reducing exposure to hazardous substances. The Department regulates handling and disposal of hazardous wastes, oversees cleanup of contaminated sites, and promotes pollution prevention.
  • Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment - The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment conducts scientific evaluations of the risks posed by chemicals. Their assessments are the scientific foundation of the state's environmental regulatory programs.

    • WORKLOAD BUDGET AND GOVERNOR'S BUDGET FUNDING LEVEL
    • A workload budget reflects what a given program will cost next year under existing law and policy.
    • Government Code Section 13308.05 defines workload budget as the budget year cost of currently authorized services, adjusted for changes in enrollment, caseload, or population, and other factors including inflation, one-time expenditures, federal and court-ordered mandates.
The proposed budget was constructed first by computing the workload budget funding level. From the workload budget, adjustments are made to reflect specific policy adjustments and reductions, including budget-balancing reductions. With these adjustments, the Governor's Budget includes $1.8 billion ($85.3 million General Fund and $1.7 billion other funds) and 4,963.7 positions for Cal/EPA (shown in Change Table ENV-01). Agency funding supports efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, promote clean alternative fuels, improve water quality, reduce risk from pesticides and hazardous chemicals, and encourage the reuse of recyclable materials and brownfield sites.
CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS for Environmental Protection Back to Top

 Proposed Workload Budget
 Proposed Budget-Balancing Reductions
 Program Enhancements and Other Budget Adjustments
PRINTABLE BUDGET DOCUMENTS Back to Top
Budget Summary - Environmental Protection (pdf * - 122K) -
Provides this entire Environmental Protection Chapter in pdf format.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Back to Top
Proposed Budget Detail - Environmental Protection
Displays Proposed Budget Detail information for Environmental Protection.