What CalEPA. does

The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) is a cabinet-level California state government agency, formally established on July 17, 1991 under Governor Pete Wilson, that develops, implements, and enforces environmental laws regulating air, water, soil quality, pesticide use, and waste recycling and reduction. It operates as the parent of six specialized boards, departments, and offices — the California Air Resources Board (CARB), Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), and State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) — and coordinates nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards covering the entire state.

CalEPA's core technology assets are three public-facing platforms: CalEnviroScreen, an environmental health screening tool (now Version 5.0, adding Small Air Toxic Sites and diabetes indicators) that maps communities disproportionately burdened by multiple pollution sources; CalHeatScore, an extreme-heat risk forecasting and ranking system that is now being integrated into third-party applications; and the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS), an electronic data transfer system used by Certified Unified Program Agencies (CUPAs) and regulated businesses for hazardous-materials reporting. The agency also operates grant and advisory programs including the Environmental Justice Action Grants, Environmental Justice Small Grants, SB 54 Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund, California Accidental Release Prevention (CalARP) Program, Hazardous Materials Business Plan Program, Interagency Refinery Task Force, Lithium-ion Car Battery Recycling Advisory Group, and the California Environmental Youth Advisory Council, and chairs the California-Mexico Border Relations Council.

CalEPA is not a commercial entity: it does not charge for its regulatory services. It is funded through California state budget appropriations and voter-approved bond measures such as Prop 4 (with $46 million announced in June 2026 for border water quality on top of $38 million previously allocated), and it derives its authority from statute rather than from market share. Its customer base is effectively the population of California — residents (especially communities identified by CalEnviroScreen as disproportionately burdened by pollution), businesses required to comply with hazardous-materials and environmental regulations, California Native American Tribes, and partner local, state, federal (including U.S. EPA Region 9), and international agencies (SEMARNAT, CONAGUA, NADB). The agency participates in subnational and international coalitions including the Under2 Coalition, United States Climate Alliance, International Zero Emission Vehicle Alliance, Pacific Coast Collaborative, and Western Climate Initiative Inc.

Name

CalEPA.

Legal name

California Environmental Protection Agency

Website

https://calepa.ca.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

CalEPA is the California state cabinet-level environmental protection agency, coordinating six boards and departments (CARB, DPR, CalRecycle, DTSC, OEHHA, SWRCB) plus nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards to enforce air, water, toxics, pesticide, and waste laws and to operate tools such as CalEnviroScreen, CalHeatScore, and CERS.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Environmental Regulation and Protection Services

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Hazardous Waste Management (4955), Agricultural Chemicals (2870)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration (BPAIABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Policy, Planning & Regulation (BPAIAMAA), Environmental Compliance & Enforcement Agencies (BPAIAOAM), Waste Management & Hazardous Waste Compliance (RCRA, Universal Waste, Waste Characterization/Manifests) (EUAHABAC), Pesticide & Agricultural Chemical Health Regulators (HLAJAFAG)

Keywords

• Environmental regulatory services
• Air quality regulation
• Hazardous waste management
• Water quality protection
• Environmental justice programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CalEPA develops, implements, and enforces California's environmental laws regulating air, water, and soil quality, pesticide use, toxic substances, and waste recycling. Its work is delivered through six boards, departments, and offices (CARB, DPR, CalRecycle, DTSC, OEHHA, SWRCB) and supported by proprietary tools including CalEnviroScreen, CalHeatScore, and the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS).

Product overview

CalEPA is a California state government agency comprising six boards, departments, and offices dedicated to environmental protection. The agency operates as a unified portfolio of regulatory and service programs rather than a single product. The core departments are California Air Resources Board (air quality and climate), Department of Pesticide Regulation, Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), Department of Toxic Substances Control, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), and State Water Resources Control Board. Key tools include CalEnviroScreen (environmental health screening mapping tool), CalHeatScore (extreme heat risk forecasting), and California Environmental Reporting System (electronic compliance reporting). Programs span environmental justice grants, hazardous materials management, border affairs, refinery safety, climate action, emergency response, tribal affairs, and youth engagement. The agency coordinates through the California-Mexico Border Relations Council and Interagency Refinery Task Force, and provides 14 email listservs for stakeholder communication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• California Air Resources Board (CARB)

Quantifiable outcome

• CalEnviroScreen identifies communities hardest hit by multiple pollution sources using environmental, health, and socioeconomic indicators
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• U.S. EPA Region 9coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Federal partnership led by U.S. EPA to coordinate investigations and enforcement efforts regarding the Chiquita Canyon Landfill crisis. Formed Multi-Agency Critical Action Team (MCAT) and Response Multi-Agency Coordination Group (R-MAC) to address the environmental emergency.
• California-Mexico Border Relations CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalEPA Secretary chairs the Council which oversees California-Mexico border environmental issues. Includes eight secretaries/directors of state agencies and publishes Annual Reports to the Legislature.
• Under2 CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroup of ambitious state and regional governments committed to keeping global temperature rise to under 2°C. Founded by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany in 2015. Over 220 governments representing 1.3 billion people and 43% of global economy.
• United States Climate AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBipartisan coalition of 17 governors committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with Paris Agreement goals. Represents 40% of U.S. population and $9 trillion economy.
• International Zero Emission Vehicle AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational alliance with 16 leading national and subnational members committed to 100% zero-emission vehicle sales. California co-founded the ZEV Alliance in 2015.
• Pacific Coast CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncludes British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California, plus cities of Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Oakland, and Los Angeles. Represents world's fifth-largest economy with $3 trillion GDP and 55 million people.
• Western Climate Initiative Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit corporation providing administrative and technical services to support implementation of state and provincial greenhouse gas emissions trading programs. Board includes officials from Québec, Nova Scotia, and California.
• SEMARNAT (Mexico's Ministry for the Environment and Natural Resources)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMexico's national environmental ministry, partner in Border 2025 program and California-Mexico environmental cooperation including climate change MOU.
• CONAGUA (Mexico's National Water Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMexico's national water agency, partner in addressing transboundary water quality issues including New River and Tijuana River pollution.
• Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional board under SWRCB that regulates Chiquita Canyon Landfill through waste discharge requirements and NPDES permits for water quality protection.
• South Coast Air Quality Management DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal air district with primary authority over stationary source air pollution, working with CARB on Chiquita Canyon air quality monitoring and enforcement.
• Los Angeles County DepartmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-agency collaboration including Los Angeles County Departments of Public Works, Public Health, and Planning in the Chiquita Canyon Landfill response.
• Tijuana River Valley Recovery Team Steering CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration of more than 30 government agencies, property owners, academic institutions, and non-profits from California and Baja California working to improve environmental conditions in the Tijuana River Valley.
• California-Mexico Border 2025coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerU.S. EPA Border 2025 U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program under the 1983 La Paz Agreement. CalEPA co-chairs the California-Baja California Regional Workgroup.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Washington State Department of Ecology: Washington's environmental regulatory agency covering air, water, hazardous waste, and toxics cleanup. Pacific Coast Collaborative co-member with CalEPA and a natural counterpart on transboundary water and marine resource issues.
• Florida Department of Environmental Protection: Cabinet-level Florida state agency overseeing environmental protection including air, water, waste, and ecosystems. Comparable in coordinating multiple environmental program areas and managing large coastal and inland resource portfolios.
• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality: Oregon's primary state environmental agency with authority over air quality, water quality, and land use. Frequently aligns with California on West Coast climate policy (e.g., Pacific Coast Collaborative), making it a close programmatic peer.
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: State-level environmental regulator covering air quality, water rights, and waste management for the largest state economy. Operates a similar commission-based governance model with comparable scope over Texas-scale industrial activity.
• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation: The most analogous state-level environmental agency in terms of population, economic scale, and progressive regulatory posture. NYSDEC administers air, water, waste, and minerals programs for New York, mirroring CalEPA's structure and frequently co-leading multi-state initiatives.
• Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection: Pennsylvania's primary environmental regulator overseeing air quality, water quality, mining, and waste management. Comparable in industrial legacy, brownfield scope, and the breadth of regulated entities within its jurisdiction.
• New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection: Cabinet-level state environmental agency with broad authority over air, water, land, and community right-to-know programs. Operates in a densely populated industrial state with similar environmental justice mandate structure to CalEPA.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: The federal counterpart to CalEPA with nationwide environmental regulatory authority over air, water, toxics, and pesticides. CalEPA partners directly with EPA Region 9 on enforcement actions (e.g., Chiquita Canyon MCAT) and operates within the federal regulatory framework CalEPA often exceeds.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada: Canada's federal environmental regulator with authority analogous to U.S. EPA. Engages with CalEPA on transboundary issues through the Pacific Coast Collaborative framework and represents a foreign peer with overlapping climate policy ambitions.

Regional players

• South Coast Air Quality Management District: California's largest local air quality management district, directly coordinating with CARB on enforcement and monitoring (e.g., Chiquita Canyon air quality work). Functions as a delegated implementer of CalEPA policy at the regional level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CaliforniaEPA
• Facebookfacebook.com/californiaepa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-environmental-protection-agency
• Instagraminstagram.com/CaliforniaEPA

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CalEPA.