Environment, Natural Resources, & Land Use
As the title of this section reflects, “environmental law” encompasses several fields, and specialities within those fields. Broadly speaking, environmental law concerns the use and management of the land, water, air and the living creatures, including humans, that live on Earth.
Keep Up: Blogs, Podcasts & News
Drink Up: Water Law and Rights
As this image demonstrates, water and prosperity have always been one and the same in California.
The self-described“diary of an obsessive compulsive water news junkie” is exactly as advertised, covering developments in case law, new and proposed rules and regulations and news, on the Federal, State and local levels.
https://www.watereducation.org/
The California Water Foundation hosts tours of California water infrastructure, seminars, publishes detailed and dense yet understandable “Layperson’s Guides” to water issues, and hosts the Water Academy, a competitive, semester-long program for water professionals, among other projects.
The CEF Aquapedia at https://www.watereducation.org/aquapedia is a clearinghouse for water news and information. The CWF provided both the following list and descriptions, available at https://www.watereducation.org/california-environmental-organizations-involved-water-issues:
Develops and promotes new strategies and policies to protect the water quality of the San Francisco Bay.
Bay Institute of San Francisco
Nonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring conservation of San Francisco Bay and its watershed from the Sierra Nevada mountains to the sea. Its efforts involve a combination of scientific research, political advocacy, and public education.
Nonprofit dedicated to educating people about the natural world of the San Francisco Bay Area and surrounding environs. Particularly stresses the unique natural heritage and beauty of the region.
Advocates for action to protect America’s waters.
Communities for a Better Environment
Nonprofit group working to achieve environmental health and justice by building grassroots power in and with communities of color and working-class communities.
Works to create community-driven water solutions through organizing, education and advocacy in California’s San Joaquin Valley.
Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund
Nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to protecting natural resources and wildlifeand to defending the right to a healthy environment.
National nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of environmental rights including access to clean air and water, healthy food, and flourishing ecosystems.
Environmental Justice Coalition for Water
A coalition of grassroots groups and intermediary organizations building a collective, community-based movement for democratic water allocation, management, and policy development in California.
A coalition of environmental, civic, recreational, and commercial fishing organizations working to achieve sustainable water management solutions for California.
Nonprofit river conservation organization. Works to protect and restore California rivers by influencing public policy and inspiring citizen action.
Nonprofit group dedicated to educating the public about Mono Lake and protecting its ecosystem.
National Audubon Society-Audubon California
Nonprofit that works to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds and other wildlife for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity.
A nonprofit organization that practices public interest law to protect natural resources.
Natural Resources Defense Council
Nonprofit organization of lawyers and scientists that uses research, education and legal action to protect the nation’s natural resources.
Planning and Conservation League
A statewide group that lobbies for legislation to protect and restore the environment.
A grassroots campaign of residents and organizations committed to restoring the California Delta so that its waters are fishable, swimmable, drinkable, and farmable.
Sacramento River Conservation Area Forum
A nonprofit organization that serves as a forum for communities, individuals, organizations and agencies along the Sacramento River.
Sacramento River Preservation Trust
A nonprofit educational organization working to protect and preserve the natural values of the Sacramento River and to educate the public about ecologically viable farming methods and the need for preserve free-flowing rivers.
Sacramento River Watershed Program
SRWP brings together dozens of groups and thousands of people concerned about the health of the Sacramento River and its watershed.
Additional Organizations (not provided by CEF)
American Rivers at https://www.americanrivers.org. The mission of AR is to restore and protect America’s Rivers from threats including pollution, climate change, over-fishing and more.
Wake Up: Environmental Justice & Indigenous Land Rights
Image credit: https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/blogs/in-the-loop/in-the-loop/2016/11/17/environmental-justice-theory-and-practice
National Indian Law Library
https://narf.org/nill/about/index.html
Located in Boulder, CO but with an extensive catalog of free, online information the “National Indian Law Library (NILL) of the Native American Rights Fund is a law library devoted to federal Indian and tribal law. NILL maintains a unique and valuable collection of Indian law resources and assists people with their Indian law-related research needs.”
Be sure to sign up for their legal bulletin to keep apprised of new cases and review their online index of law review and journal articles, which is meticulously maintained and kept current - https://www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/lawreviews/2022.html
https://onnativeground.org/
On Native Ground is a continuing project, which promotes, develops, and publishes films by Native Americans, including youth.
Code for Anchorage / Native Land Canada
Land acknowledgment - knowing the names of the indigenous communities whose land you are occupying - is a critical first step in working towards justice and equity. Learn more about the project, including how you can help fund it, here https://land.codeforanchorage.org/
Text this number, (907) 312-5058 or go to https://native-land.ca/ and the bot will respond with the name/s of the Indigenous lands that you are living on in the United States or Canada.
https://www.kcet.org/shows/tending-the-wild
In this series of videos, KCET “shines a light on the environmental knowledge of indigenous peoples across California by exploring how they have actively shaped and tended the land for millennia, in the process of developing a deep understanding of plant and animal life. This series examines how humans are necessary to live in balance with nature and how traditional practices can inspire a new generation of Californians to tend their environment.”
Indigenous Environmental Network
https://www.ienearth.org/regenerativeeconomy/
California Indian Law Association
CILA is the equivalent of the California Lawyers Association but for California Indigenous lawyers and law students. CILA hosts MCLE events, publishes a free, high quality journal on legal issues (not to be confused with their newsletter, which is information about the organziation itself), is low-cost to join and an amazing resource for law students, lawyers and the public. From their website: The California Indian Law Association ("CILA") was formed with the purpose of serving as the representative of the Indian law legal profession in California. CILA is dedicated to enhancing the legal profession and tribal justice systems in California by promoting professional growth, high standards of professional competence and ethical conduct. CILA seeks to provide quality educational programs to Indian law practitioners, tribal justice personnel, law students and the public. The organization also works to promote the study of Indian law and related topics in public and higher education and to provide guidance and assistance, through mentoring, scholarships and other activities, to Native American students in their pursuit of law studies and the legal profession. CILA strives to promote the sound administration of justice to advance the status of Indian tribes and American people in the law. CILA is dedicated to helping Indian tribes in California achieve self-determination, self-sufficiency and to protect tribal sovereignty.
Golden Gate University School of Law, Environmental Justice Clinic
https://law.ggu.edu/academics/clinics/environmental-law-and-justice/ and https://digitalcommons.law.ggu.edu/eljc/ (links to scholarship published by the Clinic).
From the website, “The Environmental Law and Justice Clinic (ELJC) at GGULaw was established in 1994 and is one of the first law clinics in the U.S. to prioritize environmental justice in its work. Our mission is to train GGU law students to be effective and ethical lawyers and to improve environmental conditions for communities of color and low-income people, at https://digitalcommons.law.ggu.edu/eljc/.”
Science Direct: Environmental Justice
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/environmental-justice
Science Direct collects articles and book chapters, with links to both freely available content and fee-based information.
https://www.bluegreenalliance.org/
From the website, “The BlueGreen Alliance unites America’s largest labor unions and its most influential environmental organizations to solve today’s environmental challenges in ways that create and maintain quality jobs and build a stronger, fairer economy.”
From the website: “The purpose of In Solidarity to build a more inclusive future in the outdoor industry. Consistent with the white European face of the American conservation and preservation movement, the outdoor industry has historically catered to the white, upper-middle-class market in its products and advertising. IS seeks to change all that to create an outdoor industry that reflects the faces, voices, and needs of all outdoor recreationalists.”
https://www.insolidarityproject.com/community: In 2020, In Solidarity launched the Community Directory, which is a list of speakers available to talk to your organization about environmental justice, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the outdoor industry. If you are looking for a speaker to authentically discuss these issues, you must check it out. From the website “The In Solidarity community directory is your go-to resource for connecting with members actively engaged in DEI work within the outdoor industry.”
Available at https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f167b251809c43778a2f9f040f43d2f5. This website and toolkit is developed and maintained by the California Environmental Protection Agency. As the agency states; At CalEPA, understanding the role of government in perpetuating institutional and structural racism is essential to our work to address the legacy of racist practices and their impacts today. Through the "Pollution and Prejudice" project, CalEPA's racial equity team designed a set of tools to help agency staff and communities explore the connection between racist land use practices of the 1930s and the persistence of environmental injustice. Understanding how environmental conditions are informed by legacy land use practices helps it to ensure equitable access to clean air, water, and land for all Californians through policy development and implementation. Learn about how CalEPA developed and uses this important set of resources.
California Air Resources Board, Environmental Justice Blog
Available at carbej.blogspot.com. From the website: A clean and healthy environment is a fundamental right for all California residents. CARB is committed to racial equity and environmental justice as a fundamental part of all it does, including programs that reduce exposure to pollutants and improve the quality of life in California communities facing environmental and economic challenges. CARB is committed to prioritizing environmental justice in everything that we do. This is supported by engaging with community members to provide them with the best possible information about the air they breathe, and working with them to improve air quality in their communities.
Pro Bono
Are you a community member looking for Pro Bono legal representation? Are you a lawyer looking to work pro bono on environmental issues? Check out the Pro Bono & Legal Aid page!
Indigenous People & Culture: Books for Adults & Children
Unfortunately, many depictions of Indigenous people that have become “classics” were created by and for the colonizers and not the communities themselves. These lists and sources are curated by the Indigenous communities, which makes them valuable and authentic resources.
American Indians in Children’s Literature - Not only does this blog tell you what to read, it contains a search function so you know what books not to read. From the website: Established in 2006 by Dr. Debbie Reese of Nambé Pueblo, American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) provides critical analysis of Indigenous peoples in children's and young adult books. Dr. Jean Mendoza joined AICL as a co-editor in 2016.
Gilio-Whitaker, Dina: As Long As Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice, From Colonization to Standing Rock . This book was selected by the CA Lawyers Association, Environmental Law Section as its July 2020 book club selection. Professor Gilio-Whitaker (Colville Confederated Tribes) teaches at CSU San Marcos and is a consultant on indigenous issues. From the publisher’s website, “Through the unique lens of “Indigenized environmental justice,” Indigenous researcher and activist Dina Gilio-Whitaker explores the fraught history of treaty violations, struggles for food and water security, and protection of sacred sites, while highlighting the important leadership of Indigenous women in this centuries-long struggle. As Long As Grass Grows gives readers an accessible history of Indigenous resistance to government and corporate incursions on their lands and offers new approaches to environmental justice activism and policy.”
Study Up: Books & Classes
UC Davis, Land Use & Natural Resource Program at https://cpe.ucdavis.edu/subject-areas/land-use-and-natural-resources. As of 2020, UC Davis is making it’s excellent seminars and programs available online, enabling students from all over to participate in these day-long or multi-day events. The seminars are highly-focused, practical and information-packed.
Solano Press Books at https://solano.com/. Solano Press books are geared to both land use planners and attorneys who practice in land use, public lands, infrastructure financing, and natural resource development.
Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB): CEB, an offshoot of the UC system publishes on major topics of CA law, including environment and land use. As of this writing (2020) their publications are not available electronically from Westlaw or LexisNexis. If you want electronic versions, you must go directly to CEB and purchase online or CD access.
Climate Change
“Extinction Rebellion America works to stop climate annihilation. We are not an environmental organization. The history of the United States is stained by the genocide of indigenous peoples, and the extinction and decimation of native species of birds, fish, insects, and animals. Without a rebellion, climate annihilation will be the final step of a 300 year-long ecological assault. The catastrophic impact of climate annihilation must be viewed through the lens of genocide, including generational genocide. We are changing the window of discourse about, and thereby stopping, the fossil fueled death machine.” There is a local Sacramento chapter you can contact at xrasacrebels@gmail.com
The Women’s Global Call for Climate Justice is a global campaign organized collectively by a group of regionally diverse women’s rights and feminist organizations, brought together by the urgent need for just action on climate change. Since it’s launch, the Campaign has become a platform for hundreds of women’s rights organizations and thousands of women activists and allies to demand climate justice.
The All We Can Save Project and All We Can Save: Circles
Based on the book All We Can Save, this woman and family-focused project and the “circles” seeks to engage, involve and educate everyone about the reality of climate change and what we can do to remediate, prepare and create a “life giving future.” The circles contain 10 guided sessions for learning about and coming to terms with climate change and our new climate reality. The sessions are posted online, with suggested reading, which are excellent resources for learning more. You can start a circle in your community, place of worship and there is even a special guide for starting a circle at work.