• Mr. Hensley is a native central coast resident and a field biologist with extensive experience in permit compliance issues and environmental analysis. He is certified by the Ecological Society of America as an Ecologist, and served as Vice Chair of the Morro Bay National Estuary Program. Prior to San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper, Mr. Hensley served as an Environmental Analyst with the Environmental Defense Center where his advocacy efforts influenced many governmental policies and actions regarding environmental protection, natural resource management and land use regulations. Mr. Hensley holds a Master's degree in Biology and a Bachelor's degree in Ecology and Systematic Biology from California Polytechnic State University.
  
  Environment in the Public Interest provides scientific and technical support, plus educational and training services for groups and individuals seeking to participate in govenment decisions affecting the environment and public trust resources. Living in America (LIA), Carpenter Canyon Neighbors, South Atascadero Neighbors, Baggins Hill Road Neighborhood Homeowners Association and Paso Watch are among the groups who have participated in the program. The San Luis Obispo COASTKEEPER ® is a program of EPI. Mr. Hensley as COASTKEEPER is dedicated to the enforcement of water quality, watershed, and coastal planning regulations in Northern Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Southern Monterey Counties. It is the only agency and permitting watchdog organization dedicated solely to enforcement of water quality, watershed and coastal planning regulations in Northern Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Southern Monterey Counties.
  
  The water keeper movement began in 1966 by commercial and recreational fishermen who united to protect the Hudson River from pollution. By 1998, 34 WATERKEEPER® programs had sprung up in various locations throughout the United States. Responding to this growth of citizen organizations forming to curb water pollution, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., along with several established WATERKEEPERS®, crated the WATERKEEPER Alliance in 1999 to connect local efforts with the major national and international clean water issues. In December 2003 the national WATERKEEPER Alliance added the San Luis Obispo COASTKEEPER™ as the 120th members.
  Link here to see the territory Mr. Hensley covers, and that of the other California waterkeepers.                          Back to Top

SLO COASTKEEPER provides educational, scientific, and technical support services to ensure effective public participation in decisions affecting the environment and public trust resources. Its education and outreach program, Water Health 2 Outreach, operates in Los Osos. It is dedicated to raising public awareness on water conservation. Visit the site here:
wateroutreach.org

SLO COASTKEEPER is available to advocate on behalf of local environmental groups and individuals before governmental agencies, provide environmental analysis and expertise, and offer educational and social engagement opportunities to the public regarding how to participate in decisions involving water, wetlands, endangered species, land use planning and development, marine protection, and coastal access.