EarthJustice
On World Environment Day, the Government Slashes Environmental Protections On World Environment Day, the Government Slashes Environmental Protections Instead of responding to multiple national crises, the administration is pushing an industry-first agenda that railroads environmental laws. President Donald Trump pauses during a meeting in the White House on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. Doug Mills/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images June 5 is World Environment Day. This year, the Trump administration is “celebrating” by assaulting environmental protections while other crises divert the nation’s attention. Today—instead of taking action to address police brutality, systemic racism, or the coronavirus pandemic— President Trump issued a proclamation that will allow harmful commercial fishing…
Ways to Help Fight Anti-Black Police Violence Ways to Help Fight Anti-Black Police Violence “Historically white environmental organizations that once looked away from environmental racism are finally joining a larger, urgent struggle for justice.” Protests erupted across the U.S. calling for an end to systemic racism and police brutality after the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. Drew Angerer / Getty Images The police violence against black communities that we’re witnessing in the U.S. today is not new, but the scale of demonstrations, dialogue, and introspect it has prompted is unprecedented. People want to learn what it means to be an ally to anti-racist…
Conozca Algunas Formas De Combatir La Violencia Policial Contra La Comunidad Afrodescendiente Conozca Algunas Formas De Combatir La Violencia Policial Contra La Comunidad Afrodescendiente "Históricamente, las organizaciones ambientales lideradas por blancos que alguna vez ignoraron el racismo ambiental finalmente se unen a una gran lucha por la justicia". Las protestas estallaron alrededor de Estados Unidos para poner fin al racismo sistémico y el abuso policial a partir de los asesinatos de George Floyd, Breonna Taylor y Ahmaud Arbery. Drew Angerer / Getty Images La violencia policial contra las comunidades afrodescendientes que hemos presenciado en este país no es nueva, pero la magnitud de manifestaciones, diálogo e introspección que ha provocado no tiene…
A Smart Solution to the ‘Deadly’ Mix of Trucking Pollution and CoronavirusA Smart Solution to the ‘Deadly’ Mix of Trucking Pollution and Coronavirus Now, more than ever, clean air and healthy lungs are priceless, says Earthjustice attorney Paul Cort. Jurvetson/Flickr This piece was originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle on April 29, 2020. From Los Angeles to Sacramento to the Bay Area, Californians are breathing in cleaner air than ever before as we shelter in place to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. But while lighter commuter traffic means that you can now catch a glimpse of the Farallon Islands from the East Bay hills some days, this is a short reprieve.…
Trump Administration’s Order to Gut Protections in the Name of COVID Will Harm Communities for Polluter ProfitsTrump Administration’s Order to Gut Protections in the Name of COVID Will Harm Communities for Polluter Profits Protecting our air and water is crucial during this global health crisis, says Earthjustice President Abigail Dillen. The Trump administration has used the COVID-19 crisis as an excuse to dismantle environmental protections and advance industry interests. CONSUMERS ENERGY / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 The Trump administration never lets a crisis go to waste. This week, in the middle of a global pandemic that has killed more than 90,000 Americans and left 35 million unemployed, President Trump ordered federal agencies to seek out regulations to…
Victory: California PUC Says Utility Can’t Hike Minimum Bills for Residential CustomersVictory: California PUC Says Utility Can’t Hike Minimum Bills for Residential Customers San Diego Gas & Electric's proposal to charge households a minimum of $38.40 a month would have hurt rooftop solar and disproportionately burdened low-income customers. The skyline of San Diego, where the local utility wants to raise most residential customers' minimum bills to $38.40 each month. a.canvas.of.light / CC BY 2.0 Update, 5/20/20: In March 2020, the California Public Utilities Commission rejected SDG&E’s request to dramatically increase the minimum bills it charges residential customers, which would have discouraged rooftop solar and conservation. The Commission agreed with our argument…
Victoria Para Alimentos Escolares Saludables Mientras La Corte Rechaza Reversión De Estándares De NutriciónVictoria Para Alimentos Escolares Saludables Mientras La Corte Rechaza Reversión De Estándares De Nutrición Madres, maestros, médicos, expertos en salud y abogados de Earthjustice unen fuerzas para proteger la salud de niños y niñas. Un estudiante elige entre las opciones de almuerzo en la escuela primaria East Brainerd en Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Washington Post via Getty Images Más de 30 millones de niños dependen de almuerzos escolares y 14 millones de niños comen desayunos escolares, lo que hace de los programas de alimentación escolar una de las iniciativas de salud pública más importantes de nuestro país. Con una mejor alimentación,…
‘Virtual’ Hearings Are Silencing Indigenous Voices in Alaska‘Virtual’ Hearings Are Silencing Indigenous Voices in Alaska Amidst COVID-19, Trump administration asks Alaska Native communities to log on Zoom and talk about the destruction of their ancestral lands. Residents of Nuiqsut, a small Alaska Native village, say that Bureau of Land Management officials did not take their input seriously during a virtual public hearing about a proposed oil-and-gas drilling plan. Bruce Dale / National Geographic Zoom video conferencing has skyrocketed in popularity since the pandemic forced millions to devise new strategies for socializing — but in Nuiqsut, a tiny Alaska Native village where wild caribou meat is a mainstay,…
Victory for Healthy School Meals as Court Rejects Rollback of Nutrition StandardsVictory for Healthy School Meals as Court Rejects Rollback of Nutrition Standards Mothers, teachers, physicians, health experts, and Earthjustice attorneys join forces to protect children’s health. A student chooses among lunch options at East Brainerd Elementary School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Washington Post via Getty Images More than 30 million children rely on school-provided lunches, and 14 million children eat school breakfasts, making school food programs one of our nation’s biggest public health initiatives. They also represent one of our most successful public health programs. With better food, children are healthier, better students, and better equipped for a healthy life.…
Las Refinerías De Phillips 66 Envenenan Nuestras Comunidades. Estamos Listos Para ContraatacarLas Refinerías De Phillips 66 Envenenan Nuestras Comunidades. Estamos Listos Para Contraatacar Hemos informado a Phillips 66 sobre nuestra intención de entablar una demanda si dos refinerías del sur de California continúan violando la Ley de Aire Limpio Kimberly Amaya (centro) marcha con otros miembros del East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice. Imagen cortesía de Hannah Benet El COVID-19 ha hecho la vida de las comunidades de primera línea del sur de California aún más difícil y peligrosa. Si bien las familias en toda la región luchan con las órdenes de hacinamiento, es particularmente difícil para aquellos de nosotros que…
Phillips 66 Refineries Are Poisoning Our Communities. We’re Ready to Fight Back.Phillips 66 Refineries Are Poisoning Our Communities. We’re Ready to Fight Back. We recently notified Phillips 66 that we intend to sue if its two Southern California refineries keep violating the Clean Air Act. Kimberly Amaya, center, marches with other members of East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice. Image Courtesy of Hannah Benet COVID-19 has made life for Southern California’s frontline communities even more difficult and dangerous. While families across the region are struggling with shelter-in-place orders, it’s especially challenging for those of us living next door to large polluters like petroleum refineries. Multiple studies have found that the polluted…
Through the Eyes of a Grassroots Leader: How the Asian American Community Reclaims Its Voice in Environmental JusticeThrough the Eyes of a Grassroots Leader: How the Asian American Community Reclaims Its Voice in Environmental Justice For Asian American communities everywhere, this year’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month could not be celebrated at a more significant or relevant moment. Members of Chicago Asian Americans for Environmental Justice gathered to learn about environmental issues in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood. Image Courtesy of CAAEJ May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, which is dedicated to celebrating and recognizing the culture, history, and lasting impact Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have created in the United States. The urgent call to…
Grizzlies ‘Saved His Life’ and Now He Fights To Save TheirsGrizzlies ‘Saved His Life’ and Now He Fights To Save Theirs Naturalist and author Doug Peacock talks about why we need to “fight like hell” to save the endangered and iconic Yellowstone grizzlies. Doug Peacock stands on the edge of the Yellowstone River in Emigrant, Montana. Tom Robertson Yellowstone's iconic grizzly bears are at risk of extinction. Yet the government is once again trying to gut protections for this endangered species. On May 5th, Earthjustice attorneys went back to court to defend the grizzlies and their endangered species status, this time arguing the case remotely via teleconference, as many Earthjustice…
Justicia En Tiempos De Dos Crisis: El COVID-19 Y el Cambio ClimáticoJusticia En Tiempos De Dos Crisis: El COVID-19 Y el Cambio Climático La pandemia del coronavirus ha transformado el mundo casi instantáneamente, a la vez que expone injusticias sistemáticas de larga data que también están presentes en una creciente crisis climática. Sin embargo, hay un camino justo que nos ayuda a encarar ambos fenómenos. A un trabajador agrícola se le controla la temperatura en King City, California, el 28 de abril de 2020. Brent Stirton / Getty Images Conforme la pandemia del COVID-19 sigue su curso, ésta también resalta un abismo de desigualdad en nuestro país a medida que aumentan…
Justice in the Time of Two Crises: COVID and Climate ChangeJustice in the Time of Two Crises: COVID and Climate Change The coronavirus pandemic has upended the world almost instantly, exposing longstanding, systemic injustices that are just as present in the slower-motion climate crisis. There is a just path forward in both cases. A testing site staff member adjusts her personal protective equipment at a mobile COVID-19 testing station in Compton, California, on April 28, 2020. Robyn Beck / AFP / Getty Images As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, it’s highlighting a longstanding chasm of inequality in our country as deaths mount and millions lose their jobs, their healthcare, and…
As COVID Barrels Down on Communities, EPA Offers Polluters a PassAs COVID Barrels Down on Communities, EPA Offers Polluters a Pass The Trump administration is using the virus as cover to give industries a wink and a nod that it will let them off the hook when it comes to emissions releases and reporting. Port Arthur, Texas, lives in the shadow of oil refineries. Eric Kayne / Earthjustice In the city of Port Arthur, Texas, people are used to sheltering-in-place due to unseen dangers. We live in the shadows of oil refineries, chemical plants, and chemical incineration facilities. When lightning knocks out power or something else goes wrong at one…
Our Lawyer Just Got a Big Win for Clean Water at the Supreme CourtOur Lawyer Just Got a Big Win for Clean Water at the Supreme Court Earthjustice attorney David Henkin went to the Supreme Court to protect the right to clean water for his clients – and for all Americans. The court’s decision upholds those protections and rejects the Trump administration’s effort to blow a big hole in the Clean Water Act. Earthjustice attorney David Henkin went to the Supreme Court to argue Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund v. County of Maui. Melissa Lyttle for Earthjustice What you need to know → On April 23, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with clean water…
What the Trump Administration Is Doing to Your WaterWhat the Trump Administration Is Doing to Your Water The administration is attempting to undo the landmark 1972 Clean Water Act. Read on to learn why you should be concerned. Waste floats on the Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona, in 1972. Congress passed the Clean Water Act that year, establishing federal protection for all waters in the U.S. Charles O'Rear / National Archives Latest News: On Apr. 21, 2020, as we prepare to celebrate Earth Day, Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency published the final rule for the rollback of key parts of the Clean Water Rule. The announcement is part of a…
I Investigated the Deepwater Horizon Disaster 10 Years Ago. When Will We Learn From Our Mistakes?I Investigated the Deepwater Horizon Disaster 10 Years Ago. When Will We Learn From Our Mistakes? As we find ourselves in the grip of another catastrophe, it’s worth reflecting on how the nation and the oil industry responded to the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Smoke billows from controlled oil burns near the site of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in June 2010. Derick E. Hingle / Bloomberg via Getty Images Sam Sankar is Senior Vice President of Programs at Earthjustice and was deputy chief counsel of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill commission, which led the Obama administration’s technical investigation…
50 Años Después, El Legado Legal del Día de la Tierra Cobra Mayor Importancia50 Años Después, El Legado Legal del Día de la Tierra Cobra Mayor Importancia Conforme el Día de la Tierra alcanza este hito, estamos más comprometidos que nunca a construir sobre el progreso del pasado mientras avanzamos hacia un futuro saludable y sostenible para todos. Más de 1.200 estudiantes ensamblaron un globo terráqueo de cinco pisos de altura en la Explanada Nacional en Washington D.C., para conmemorar el vigesimoquinto aniversario del Día de la Tierra en 1995. JOYCE NALTCHAYAN / AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES Hace cincuenta años, no era inusual que los ríos se incendiaran, que los vertederos se desbordaran…
Trump Administration Muzzles Own Safety Experts on Offshore Drilling RuleTrump Administration Muzzles Own Safety Experts on Offshore Drilling Rule Earthjustice attorney Chris Eaton explains how the Trump administration ignored the recommendations of its own engineers when it rolled back safety regulations, according to a news investigation. Fire boat response crews battle the blazing remnants of the offshore oil rig Deepwater Horizon. PHOTO COURTESY OF U.S. COAST GUARD You’d think by now, almost 10 years after one of the worst manmade environmental disasters in American history — the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster — that we would’ve learned our lesson about the need for offshore drilling safety. But no. In its…
50 Years On, Earth Day’s Legal Legacy Looms Large50 Years On, Earth Day’s Legal Legacy Looms Large As Earth Day reaches a milestone anniversary, we're more committed than ever to building on the progress of the past while moving forward toward a healthy, sustainable future for all. More than 1,200 students assembled a five-story globe on the National Mall in Washington D.C., to mark the 25th anniversary of Earth Day in 1995. Joyce Naltchayan / AFP via Getty Images Fifty years ago, it wasn’t unusual for rivers to catch fire, for overflowing landfills to seep toxic gases, or for smog-filled skies to dominate our landscapes. While we still…
La Contaminación Del Aire Hace Que El Coronavirus Sea Más LetalLa Contaminación Del Aire Hace Que El Coronavirus Sea Más Letal Un nuevo estudio de la Universidad de Harvard se suma a la creciente evidencia de que debemos hacer cumplir las regulaciones más estrictas sobre emisiones tóxicas para salvar vidas. La planta eléctrica de Cheswick en Pensilvania emana humo al aire Chris Jordan-Bloch / Earthjustice A medida que el coronavirus afecta comunidades alrededor del mundo, un nuevo estudio de la Universidad de Harvard ha demostrado que una prolongada exposición a partículas finas, un componente de la contaminación del aire, está relacionada con una mayor probabilidad de morir por COVID-19. Los…
Air Pollution Makes COVID-19 More DeadlyAir Pollution Makes COVID-19 More Deadly Staff Scientist Rashmi Joglekar explains how a new Harvard study adds to a growing pile of evidence that we must enforce stricter regulations on toxic emissions to save lives. An aerial view of smog in Los Angeles, California. PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT S. DONOVAN As the coronavirus tears through communities around the world, a new Harvard study has shown that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter, a component of air pollution, is linked to a greater chance of dying from COVID-19. The results add to a growing body of evidence that we must adopt…
8 Maneras En Que Puede Ayudar A Su Comunidad En Medio De La Pandemia COVID-198 Maneras En Que Puede Ayudar A Su Comunidad En Medio De La Pandemia COVID-19 Aún en la era del distanciamiento social, es posible conectarnos con nuestros vecinos y ofrecer apoyo a los más necesitados. Una voluntaria habla con una mujer a la cual le provee cuidado casero durante el aislamiento en Roma, Italia. MARCO DI LAURO / GETTY IMAGES En medio de esta crisis, el apoyo a nuestras comunidades locales es más importante que nunca. Pero a medida que las ciudades y pueblos les piden a sus residentes que se queden en casa para frenar la propagación del virus,…
8 Ways You Can Help Your Community Amid the COVID-19 Crisis8 Ways You Can Help Your Community Amid the COVID-19 Crisis Even in the era of social distancing, we can still connect with our neighbors and offer support to those in need. A volunteer speaks to a woman she's providing with home care in Rome during Italy's COVID-19 lockdown. MARCO DI LAURO / GETTY IMAGES Amid the COVID-19 crisis, supporting our local communities is more important than ever. But as cities and towns ask their residents to stay home to slow the virus’ spread, many of us are grappling with how to be there for each other when we can’t…
Craving Connection Beyond ‘Animal Crossing’? 8 Ways to Build Community Bridges Amid COVID-19Craving Connection Beyond ‘Animal Crossing’? 8 Ways to Build Community Bridges Amid COVID-19 Even in the era of social distancing, we can still connect with our neighbors and offer support to those in need. Volunteers at a nonprofit in Washington, D.C., distribute free hot meals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images Amid the COVID-19 crisis, supporting our local communities is more important than ever. But as cities and towns ask their residents to stay home to slow the virus’ spread, many of us are grappling with how to be there for each other when we can’t be…
What It’s Like to Be Boxed In By Amazon WarehousesWhat It’s Like to Be Boxed In By Amazon Warehouses As COVID-19 puts online shopping into overdrive, workers and warehouse communities are demanding stronger environmental health protections and increased corporate responsibility. Residents of California's Inland Empire are saying “enough” to the endless tide of warehouse expansions in their community. Photo Illustration by Rob Chambliss / Earthjustice As COVID-19 creates a boom in internet retail, companies like Amazon are going into overdrive. Now, with more urgency than ever, labor organizers and environmental health activists are confronting the wizard behind the curtain of online shopping: the logistics operations that are as problematic…
Enclaustrados En Un Centro de Envío de AmazonEnclaustrados En Un Centro de Envío de Amazon La pandemia COVID-19 acelera las compras online. Pero sin fuertes protecciones de salud ambiental y responsabilidad corporativa, el comercio electrónico tiene un alto costo para la fuerza laboral y comunidades vulnerables. Residentes del Inland Empire de California dicen “basta” a la interminable ola de expansiones de almacenes en su comunidad. Ilustración cortesía de Rob Chambliss/Earthjustice A medida que la pandemia COVID-19 genera un auge en el comercio minorista por internet, empresas como Amazon crecen vertiginosamente. Ahora, con más urgencia que nunca, organizadores laborales y activistas de salud ambiental se enfrentan a otro…
What EPA’s ‘Enforcement Discretion’ During COVID-19 Really MeansWhat EPA’s ‘Enforcement Discretion’ During COVID-19 Really Means VP of Litigation Patrice Simms explains how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has used this tool in the past, but never with this breadth. And there is no end date. The U.S. EPA’s flag flies outside the Federal Triangle complex in Washington, D.C. AIDAN WAKELY MULRONEY / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 A story in The Hill newspaper yesterday sent shockwaves through the environmental community. Ominously headlined “EPA suspends enforcement of environmental laws amid coronavirus,” it implied that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was simply closing up shop for an indeterminate period of time —…
Standing Rock Tribe Wins in Court After Years of PerseveranceStanding Rock Tribe Wins in Court After Years of Perseverance A federal judge struck down permits for the Dakota Access Pipeline, even after COVID-19 precautions led to an unconventional day in court. Tribes and allies gathered to defend Standing Rock Sioux territory from the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2016. After years of litigation, a court struck down the pipeline's water permits on March 25, 2020. Scott Olson / Getty Images For the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, there has never been any question of backing down from the fight to protect their homeland from the Dakota Access Pipeline. Every year since…
Bajo la Sombra Del COVID-19, Algunas Industrias Buscan Permiso Para Seguir ContaminandoBajo la Sombra Del COVID-19, Algunas Industrias Buscan Permiso Para Seguir Contaminando Las industrias contaminantes presionan al gobierno para que flexibilice restricciones y elimine requisitos de monitoreo. Las industrias contaminantes usan la crisis del COVID-19 como excusa para flexibilizar regulaciones que limitan las emisiones de plantas eléctricas. IDPHOTORO / SHUTTERSTOCK ¿CÓMO LAS INDUSTRIAS CONTAMINANTES EXPLOTAN LA CRISIS? A medida que las autoridades luchan por frenar la pandemia del COVID-19, los contaminadores buscan la oportunidad para despojarse de las protecciones que salvaguardan la salud pública y nuestro medio ambiente. El petróleo, el gas, el carbón, la petroquímica y otras industrias contaminantes…
Under the Cover of COVID, Polluters Seek Free Pass to PolluteUnder the Cover of COVID, Polluters Seek Free Pass to Pollute Polluting industries are lobbying the government to loosen restrictions and waive monitoring requirements. Polluting industries are using COVID-19 as an excuse to call for loosening regulations that limit emissions from power plants like this one. IDPHOTORO / SHUTTERSTOCK Update, March 26, 2020: The Environmental Protection Agency announced a new “temporary enforcement discretionary policy” in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earthjustice will be watching closely to make sure this move by the Trump administration doesn’t give polluters a free pass. How are polluting industries exploiting the crisis? As governments struggles…
Californians Want to Stop Burning Gas in Their HomesCalifornians Want to Stop Burning Gas in Their Homes In a new poll, 70% of Californians said they prefer efficient electric appliances powered by clean electricity instead of fossil gas. A couple shops for appliances in a home goods store. iStock A couple shops for appliances in a home goods store. iStock After decades of burning gas in our homes, Californians are ready for a change. Most Californians use gas for everyday activities like heating our homes, taking a hot shower, and cooking, and probably don’t think twice about it. We’ve been told by the gas industry and its consultants…
This Stunning Wilderness Victory Is Proof We’re Stronger When We Work TogetherThis Stunning Wilderness Victory Is Proof We’re Stronger When We Work Together A community came together to secure permanent protections for the Methow Valley in Washington state. The Methow Valley in Washington attracts nearly a million visitors a year, and the river that flows through it provides habitat for endangered salmon. Benjamin Drummond Maggie Coon had gone to battle for the Methow Valley before. Back in the 1970s, when a Colorado corporation tried to build a ski resort in the middle of this sparsely populated wonderland of towering peaks and green riverbanks, she and other valley residents galvanized the necessary…
Major Victory for Alaska’s Majestic Trees and for the ClimateMajor Victory for Alaska’s Majestic Trees and for the Climate Protecting trees, particularly old-growth trees in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, is a win for local communities and for the climate. A recent court victory halted a timber sale on Prince of Wales Island in Alaska. ANDREA IZZOTTI / GETTY IMAGES On Prince of Wales Island in southeast Alaska, majestic mega-trees that are key to combatting climate change have been protected from chainsaws after a federal judge rejected a sweeping logging plan that would have spanned a project area of 1.8 million acres in the Tongass National Forest. Containing nearly one-third of the…
