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Enforcement Agencies & Contacts 

REPORTING VIOLATIONS IS YOUR RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY AND WE WILL SUPPORT YOU.
There are several issues that might trigger reporting. Contact agencies and/or Watershed Alliance of Marin to help determine potential violations. Do not be shy about reporting violations. There are multiple law enforcement agencies who are tasked to deal with these issues. 

The following is critical information needed for useful reporting:
  1. ​Take photos of the incident. i.e. dumping, erosion, landslide, illegal fishing, polluting, building in creek
  2. Collect information:  Time, Date, Location (GPS coordinates and Address, License plate, Name of Company (on vehicle) or individual/group, if known
  3. Statement containing all of the above information...

As a citizen advocate always stay safe. Do not engage with strangers that may escalate issues. Do not risk yours or other's safety for any reasons.   For Emergencies call 911.

For in-progress incidents, it is always best to call the local police or
County Sheriff (415-473-7250).
For illegal activities such as fishing, call the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife  CDFW  CALTIP https://wildlife.ca.gov/enforcement/caltip 1-888-334-2258.

For dumping, garbage, oil products & polluted run off  in creeks or next to creeks, call the Marin County Department of Public Works Stormwater Representative listed at MCSTOPPP Regular Business Hours
Local Fire Dept. if outside of business hours  immediately.  

The Dangers of Plastic Pollution to Marine Life - www.bottlestore.com/the-dangers-of-plastic-pollution-to-marine-life


Some crimes and infractions require contacting multiple agencies.  For instance illegal filling of wetlands might require contacting the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, Army Corps of Engineers, Marin County Dept. of Public Works and MCSTOPPP and possibly US Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service.  Its complicated sometimes.  Time is of the essence.  If you are concerned it is better to contact all relevant agencies and let them determine their jurisdiction.  You may also call us but we will need the above evidence.
Please call us if you have any questions or need support: Call us at 415 234-9007 and/or email us at: [email protected] 

Fishing, Wildlife impacts and work in streams

Illegal  fishing, poaching wildlife, illegal work in streams  
of protected species of fish such as coho salmon and steelhead trout. Can be headwaters stream segment  affecting downstream habitat. 

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) 
1-888 CALTIP  (1-888-334-2258)


National Marine Fisheries Service:
Santa Rosa, CA Office

777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325
Santa Rosa, CA 95404 Gary Stern, Supervisor  [email protected]

​707-387-0737; Fax 707-578-3435
After Hours
​707- 575-6060 

US Fish and Wildlife Services  Customer Service Center 
CA office 916 414-6464 
Marin County 916 414 6600
Ryan Olah  916 414 6588   Joseph Terry 916 943 6721
1-800-344-WILD  1(800) 344-9453
www.fws.gov   click "law enforcement"
TTY: 1-800-877-8339 (Federal Relay) Hearing impaired.

California Environmental Protection Agency
​
Direct: 
https://calepacomplaints.secure.force.com/complaints/
Pollution to/from:  air, water, toxic substances, pesticides, solid waste

Army Corps of Engineers

Work within wetlands, streams, tide lands.
​

Army Corps of Engineers
Phone 415 503-6795
Fax 415-503-6690
San Francisco District 1455 Market Street, 16th Floor San Francisco, CA 94103-1398
Reporting Form

Dumping, spills, stream pollution, bank erosion, construction in or too close to stream.  

If you find people polluting Marin creeks, from stormwater and road run off from washing cars, building materials, paints,  dumping, stream pollution, soils, concrete and bank erosion, etc.  you should first call the Marin County Stormwater run off and Pollution Prevention Program (MCSTOPPP) at (415) 473-6528 or your local city person charged with pollution prevention here:
Local Municipal Stormwater Contacts

​
San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board
https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/sanfranciscobay/report_problem.html

Xavier Fernandez (water pollution, sediment run-off)
Environmental Scientist
1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: 510-622-5685
Cell: 510-332-7318

xavierfernandezl@waterboards.ca.gov
​
  • To report oil and chemical spills occurring in “open waters”, call
  • 1-800-OILS911.
  • To report chemical spills “on land” or “coastal waters”, call 1-800-852-7550.
  • To find used motor oil and oil filter recycling locations in your zipcode, visit www.cleanup.org or call
  • 1-800-CLEANUP
  • http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/Issues/WaterQuality.cfm​

Construction/Trail projects that impact creeks: 
​

[email protected]
510-622-2424

ENDANGERED SPECIES
​https://www.fws.gov/endangered/laws-policies/regulations-and-policies.html
​


​TOXIC SPILL;
EPA Pollution:

Region 9 / Pacific Southwest (AZ, CA, HI, NV, Guam, American Samoa):
​1-415-947-8713 
https://www.epa.gov/enforcement

Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) is a comprehensive reporting site directly to the Environmental Protection Agency 
https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations

Reporting Environmental Violations Brochure [English] 
Denunciando Violaciones Ambientales [Spanish]

https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations
​
http://www2.epa.gov/home/report-spills-and-environmental-violations
 


Diversion of water, permits for physical modifications to wetlands and streams in Marin 

Xavier Fernandez  (planning and permits)
Environmental Scientist
San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board
1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: 510-622-5685
[email protected]

Marin County Stormwater
Pollution Prevention

(415) 473-6583
[email protected]

https://mcstoppp.org/local-clean-water-laws/


This is the most comprehensive resource on local stormwater pollution prevention laws, links to useful and educational information and permitting requirements for stream work.

BEFORE YOU BUILD, EXCAVATE, REMOVE VEGETATION please consult this website. More  importantly, for those considering projects that will impact creeks there is a monthly Project Coordination consultation meeting with access to all state and federal regulators and requirements - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. 

Access to all local creek groups are here. ​https://mcstoppp.org/community-partnership-and-volunteering/

​Work in streams or illegal trail building and use on Marin Public Lands

California State Parks
Mount Tamalpais, China Camp, & Olompali

Roberto Walton, Supervising Ranger 
Normal work week: Saturday-Wednesday
​Office (415) 388-2952/3653
Fax (415) 388-2968
Dispatch (916) 358-1300
E-Mail:  [email protected]
3801 Panoramic Highway
​Mill Valley, CA  94941


Samuel P. Taylor State Park
Tomales Bay State Park

Rosemary Blackburn, Supervising Ranger
Office (415) 488-0291
EMail:
​[email protected]
If there is an ongoing Emergency, the State Parks Dispatch Number is: 911 or
(916) 358-1300.  Fastest way to report an emergency or crime in progress.
​
Marin County Open Space District
Ranger Field Office  (415) 473-2816
Checked frequently
File a Citizen Observation Report

Situations requiring immediate attention which are not emergencies: Marin County Sheriff’s Office Communications Division at 415-473-2311. They will contact the appropriate Parks, Open Space, or Landscape Department

Marin Municipal Water District
Bill Hogan, Chief Ranger
Non-emergency  (415) 945-1187
Active visitor misconduct (Non-emergency)
(415) 945-1500
E-Mail: [email protected]

Pt. Reyes National Seashore, NPS
(415) 464-5137 and follow the prompts
Pt. Reyes Dispatch, non-emergency, is (415) 464-5170 ( a recording)
Sheriff’s dispatch line (415) 479-2311 may route you to a live ranger, if appropriate. The Sheriff’s Department has substation at Pt. Reyes Station (415) 663-1151.

Golden Gate Recreation Area, NPS
Park Police
Non emergency: (415) 561-5505
Emergency: (415) 561-5656
Any Emergency situation call:  911





If this page has been helpful or contains an error, please let us know at w[email protected]

As always, we rely upon donations to fund our all-volunteer work; your support is greatly appreciated and needed. 

 Some Examples

Picture
Illegal road building without soil retention, during the rain, without permits, above a coho stream.
Picture
Unprotected excavation and construction site on creek in Downtown Mill Valley in the rain
Picture
Road built on top of ephemeral drainage without permits.
Picture
Clay and sediment draining directly into Redwood Creek coho stream in Muir Woods National Monument and work done in the rain
Picture
Sediment from construction site leaking into Arroyo Corte Madera Del Presidio Creek
Picture
Kids fishing illegally in Mill Valley
Picture
Hillside above creek stripped bare of vegetation
View More
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