How civil rights work led me to environmental justice litigation

FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER

How civil rights work led me to environmental justice litigation “This work is a continuation of the work I have always done — because the work of Earthjustice, like traditional racial justice work, is deeply rooted in keeping all people safe as we struggle to peacefully inhabit this tiny planet together.” – Courtney Bowie, Earthjustice attorney READ MORE >>   Your support helps make our work possible and strengthens our power in the courts. Give today and ensure the earth has a good lawyer!   On the brink of an oil spill Line 5 is 645-mile pipeline operated by Enbridge Energy that transports crude oil and natural gas. It has been operating illegally in Michigan’s Straits of Mackinac since May 2021. It runs only a few miles from Lake Superior and is increasingly likely to rupture in the lake due to its age and a heightened frequency of severe storms brought on by climate change. READ MORE >>   Boundary Waters saved from risky mining project A dangerous copper mining project that threatened the 1,200 miles of rivers, lakes, and streams of Minnesota’s iconic Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness will not move forward after the Biden administration cancelled its leases in January. READ MORE >>   Will the US Postal Service deliver clean air? United States Postal Service mail trucks make up over 30% of the federal government’s vehicles and are prime for electrification. To help with distributing 200 billion pieces of mail a year, an electric postal fleet would save us from burning a jaw-dropping 2 billion to 4 billion gallons of fuel over 20 years. So, will the USPS deliver clean air with electric mail trucks, or dim our climate future and harm our lungs for generations? READ MORE >>   Climate can’t wait. We need action now. Scientists have warned us for years that extreme weather caused by climate change will become more frequent and severe. We’re feeling the impacts now, and communities across the country are struggling as climate disasters intensify. We have the chance to pass the most significant investments in climate, justice, and clean energy in our history. It’s time to act now.   Florida’s waters are rising, but so are its people When the most powerful Atlantic storm hit Florida in 2017, a majority Black neighborhood in Fort Myers made their way to a community center where they expected emergency services. Instead, they found locked doors. Now, they’re creating their own climate resiliency strategies and pushing for infrastructure updates to protect their community from the rising seas. READ MORE >>

Earthjustice 50 California Street, Suite 500 San Francisco, CA 94111 About Us   Photo Credits (top to bottom): Bob Fitch via Stanford Libraries, Jaida Grey Eagle for Earthjustice, John Zilka / Getty Images, Brian Brown / Getty Images, Martin do Nascimento / Earthjustice