Neil Kucera, J.D., M.A.G., Capital Area Regional Environmental Task Force Volunteer, Assistant Hays County District Attorney, Texas State University Adjunct Professor Austin

While working as an assistant county attorney for Travis County in 2002, Neil Kucera started volunteering as a legal subject matter expert for the Capital Area Regional Environmental Task Force (RETF). He initiated annual basic training and intermediate environmental law training with the group and teaches an average of three basic classes and one intermediate class each year. Over the past 23 years, he has taught approximately 3,500 individuals, including investigators from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, rangers with Texas Parks and Wildlife, county constables, sheriff’s office personnel, sanitarians, and local police officers. The training courses provide information in an understandable, practical format with annual updates as laws and regulations change. He has also authored an environmental law enforcement pocket guide to assist those in the field with statute and rule references.

Dr. Kucera has always taught and consistently promotes addressing environmental crimes through voluntary compliance prior to legal enforcement and prosecution, thus providing outreach and education to offenders before enforcement. This strategy stops many issues before they arise.

Dr. Kucera’s skills in developing creative, informative, and effective presentations have led to additional members of RETF being able to provide basic and intermediate environmental law training classes. This has allowed RETF to send guest instructors to other regions of the state and increase outreach and awareness.