What are the most important things happening in environmental law and Chesapeake Bay protection?
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 […]
Clean Water Act Enforcement Workshop May 28, 2020 @ 2:00 PM (EST) 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 law to protect their local waterways. During the workshop, CLA attorneys will present an overview of the […]
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 […]
What does the Maui case mean for the Chesapeake Bay? By: Evan Isaacson & Angela Haren On April 23, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court resolved an important Clean Water Act issue that has divided lower courts. The 1972 Clean Water Act (CWA or Act) protects our nation’s surface waters from direct discharges of pollution. The […]
public participation (n.) – any decision-making process that directly engages the public and gives full consideration to public input. According to EPA’s Public Participation Guide, public participation “consists of a series of activities and actions by a sponsor agency over the full lifespan of a project to both inform the public and obtain input from […]
On the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, CLA recognizes the people who create meaningful change. The founders of Earth Day are among these change-makers. In 1970, two politicians from opposing political parties, together with a community organizer, launched the first Earth Day and ignited a global movement to save our planet. The first Earth Day brought together 20 million […]
Catch CLA in Maryland Matters: As EPA Eases Enforcement, Marylanders Fear for the Bay By Robin Bravender April 13, 2020 … “The administration’s memo is ‘technically unnecessary and merely sends the wrong message at the wrong time: that environmental compliance is not a priority, and those in charge of safely operating facilities that pollute are […]
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, on March 25, 2020, the federal government passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This new law is intended to help small businesses, including nonprofits, weather the economic downturn caused by this pandemic by providing for streamlined access to grants and low-interest loans, as well as […]
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(Last Updated April 2, 2020, 7:00pm; updated text in red) On March 26, 2020, the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) released a memo entitled “COVID-19 Implications for EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program.” This memo states that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, EPA will […]
We at the Chesapeake Legal Alliance, like so many Americans who want safe water and care about protecting valuable habitat, are deeply concerned by the new Navigable Waters Protection Rule released this week by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Far from being protective, this Rule eliminates federal Clean Water Act protections for countless miles […]