BOSTON (AP) – James D.P. Farrell, an assistant state attorney general who enforced environmental regulations, died Monday at his home in Wayland. He was 46.

The cause of death has not yet been determined.

Farrell, a native of Weston, was captain of the hockey team at Princeton University. His teammates included TV writer David E. Kelley, who paid homage to his friend by naming a character on “L.A. Law” Errol “The Eel” Farrell. Farrell’s nickname in college was “The Eel,” because of his slippery moves on the ice, The Boston Globe reported.

He played professional hockey in Italy for several years, then attended Boston College Law School, where he met his wife, Martha Pyle.

Farrell worked in environmental enforcement at the U.S. Department of Justice and was an aide to U.S. Sen. Warren Rudman, R-N.H.

About five years ago, he joined the attorney general’s office, where he oversaw compliance with the state’s Brownfields Act, which provides grants and other incentives for the cleanup and development of contaminated property.

“Jim Farrell didn’t just represent the best in public service, he represented the best in all of us,” Attorney General Tom Reilly said. “He was a can-do person who got things done.”

Farrell coached youth hockey, baseball, and soccer in Wayland.

“He was a tough competitor, a wonderful sportsman, and always a gentleman,” said George Favoloro, of Lincoln, a friend and former hockey teammate.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Belmont Hill School Chapel.

AP-ES-12-02-04 1028EST