Environmental Justice in the 21st Century: Threats and Opportunities (Part 2)

When
April 16, 2018 6:00 pm — 7:30 pm
Where
Washington, DC (and webinar)

This program was co-sponsored by ELI, ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice, Georgetown Law, and D.C. Bar Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Community


The environmental justice movement is at a pivotal moment.  Media coverage of issues such as lead poisoning and extreme weather events are capturing national attention. Emerging opportunities, including the Environment Justice Act of 2017 introduced by Senator Cory Booker and Representative Raul Ruiz, are working to promulgate environmental justice in the law. This event ighlighted both the threats and opportunities facing environmental justice in communities and in the law.

This panel discussion continued pivotal discussions from Part 1 of this series, held on November 28th, 2017. This panel of dynamic environmental justice leaders brought expertise from a spectrum of legal professions and backgrounds and included keynote speaker Representative Ruiz, co-author of the recently proposed Environmental Justice Act of 2017. Speakers explored climate justice, toxic-siting, ramifications of extreme weather events on marginalized communities, and ways in which practitioners can empower and support environmental justice communities through their own work. Following the conclusion of the panel, a networking reception was held to further spark conversation and discussion of key topics at the forefront of environmental justice.

Keynote:
Representative Raul Ruiz (D-CA)

Panelists:
Sheila Foster,
Professor of Law and Public Policy, Georgetown University, Moderator
Dr. Adrienne Hollis
, Director of Federal Policy, WE-ACT Environmental Justice
Leslie Fields, Director, Environmental Justice and Community Partnerships Program, Sierra Club
Lucia Silecchia, Professor of Law at the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America

Materials:
If you are an ELI member and are logged onto the Members site, you will see links below to available materials/recordings from this session. If you are not an ELI member but would like to have access to archived sessions like this one, go HERE to see the many benefits of membership and how to join.