What are the most important things happening in environmental law and Chesapeake Bay protection?
By: Arielle King & Theo Miller, Spring 2021 Law Clerks Background During the 2021 Maryland General Assembly session, lawmakers passed SB674/HB1207 to reform aspects of the Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities (“The Commission”). As CLA’s Spring 2021 Law Clerks, we assisted in drafting amendments to the bill that will prioritize and enhance public […]
To say that it’s been an unusual year is an understatement! The pandemic has impacted every facet of life, and the 2021 Maryland General Assembly Session was no exception. Public participation, which is key to our democratic process, was limited to remote access this year. Despite all of the limitations, elected officials and advocates overcame […]
By: Angela Haren, Senior Attorney, Director of Legal Innovation A powerful part of many environmental laws is the ability for the public to step in and enforce against polluters when the government fails to do so. The vast number of pollution violations coupled with government agency funding constraints or unwillingness to enforce, means that many […]
By: David Reed Since the 1970s, as the nation’s clean water and air laws developed into a robust suite of environmental protection programs, feedlots, or concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), have been regulated under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Recent growth in the CAFO industry has caused more attention to be given to this regulatory […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2021 Contact David Reed, Co-Director, Chesapeake Legal Alliance (202) 253-5560, Kathy Phillips, Assateague COASTKEEPER, Assateague Coastal Trust, (443) 235-2014, Landmark Win for The Bay Court Orders Maryland to Stop Ammonia Pollution Flowing to the Chesapeake Bay In […]
The National Park Service and the National Trust for Historic Preservation are partnering with the states of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania to identify, map, and protect African American historical and cultural sites across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This $400,000 mapping project is called “Documenting Chesapeake Watershed Sites and Landscapes Important to African Americans,” and Chesapeake […]
Clean Water Act Fundamentals Webinar October 26, 2020 @ 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (EST) Register below for this free online workshop hosted by Chesapeake Legal Alliance attorneys. Presenters: Angela Haren & Molly Brown Workshop details: Please join CLA Senior Attorneys Angela Haren and Molly Brown for an introductory overview of the Clean Water Act and […]
Clean Water Act Enforcement Workshop June 23, 2020 @ 1:30 PM (EST) The enforcement webinar CLA hosted in May was so popular, we are offering the same presentation again! Register below for this free online workshop hosted by Chesapeake Legal Alliance attorneys. Presenters: Angela Haren & Patrick DeArmey Workshop details: Learn how community members can use the […]
A true democracy relies on equal application of the law and the fair administration of justice. Systemic racism in this country, however, results in the inconsistent and unjust application of our nation’s laws to Black and Brown people. In the aftermath of the recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Monika Diamond, and […]
Maryland Delegate Brooke Lierman and Senator Sarah Elfreth penned an op-ed in Maryland Matters reminding state agencies of the importance of transparency in protecting public health and the environment. Del. Brooke Lierman and Sen. Sarah Elfreth: More Accountability Needed on Environmental Enforcement “As legislators, our first job is to do all we can to help our constituents […]