An Uneven Shield

The Record of Enforcement and Violations Under California's Environmental, Health and Workplace Safety Laws

California leads the nation in setting standards to protect the health of families, communities and the environment. Yet too little is publicly known about how effectively these standards are enforced, or how officials respond when violations occur. This October 2008 report examines data on known violations and law enforcement responses under six critical pollution, health and workplace safety programs, and finds that enforcement of California's environmental and health laws varies widely across the state.