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Doña Ana County explains how environmental codes enforcement works, from education to abatement
Summary
Doña Ana County codes officers said their unit focuses on public-health and quality-of-life enforcement across about 3,800 square miles, prioritizing voluntary compliance through education, temporary cleanup help and partnerships before pursuing abatement, liens or criminal charges.
Joseph Vargas, the county’s multimedia coordinator, opened a Doña Ana County podcast episode by asking staff how environmental codes enforcement operates. "We're a service based department first," said Jonathan Davis, who spoke for enforcement, adding that officers aim to "protect and serve the citizens of Doña Ana County" while addressing public-health and nuisance concerns.
Davis said the county has about seven environmental codes officers covering roughly 3,800 square miles, from Garfield and the Hatch area in the north to Santa Teresa on the U.S.–Mexico border. The officers respond to central-dispatch calls, citizen complaints and perform proactive patrols in both populated and desert areas.
Brannikavena, introduced on the program as being "from Doña Ana County Environmental Codes," described common enforcement work on Bureau of Land Management parcels and illegal-dumping investigations. "We post signs notifying them that the areas…
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