Environmental health regulatory staff must be which of the following first and foremost?

The most appropriate choice is that environmental health regulatory staff must first and foremost be educators. The primary role of regulatory staff extends beyond merely enforcing rules and regulations; effective education is essential to fostering understanding among the public, businesses, and other stakeholders regarding environmental health issues.

By educating the community, regulatory staff can promote awareness about safe practices, the importance of compliance with health standards, and the potential consequences of neglecting environmental health matters. This educational approach facilitates proactive rather than reactive measures to public health and environmental issues, leading to better overall outcomes in community health.

While the other options—enforcers, undergraduates, and legislators—play roles in environmental health, they do not emphasize the foundational aspect of education. Enforcers focus on compliance and penalties, undergraduates refer to a level of education rather than a professional mandate, and legislators are involved in crafting laws rather than executing educational outreach and support. Thus, education stands out as a critical first step in the mission of environmental health regulatory staff.