For more than twenty five years, Midwest Environmental Advocates has worked to protect the rights of all Wisconsinites to a clean and healthy environment. Accomplishing this mission requires us to confront the many ways that environmental burdens have been assigned to certain communities based unequal political, social and economic power.
For generations, polluting facilities such as landfills, incinerators and refineries have been disproportionately sited in communities of color and economically disadvantaged communities. A growing body of research shows how climate change impacts—including heat waves, droughts, floods and other extreme weather events—are making these environmental burdens even worse.
The good news is that equitable access to legal resources and support can make a real difference for communities that choose to take on environmental injustices. But in recent months, federal attempts to roll back environmental justice initiatives (see timeline below) have threatened the progress that has been made in Wisconsin and around the country.
At MEA, we believe these attacks on environmental justice must not go unopposed, nor should they deter us from advocating for the health, safety, and rights of all people—particularly those who have been historically marginalized.
The actions of the current administration are deeply troubling. They also serve as a reminder of why our work is more vital than ever. MEA is unique in that we are a law firm that provides legal services to communities and groups who would not otherwise have the power to assert their rights to a healthy environment. In Wisconsin, we have strong state-level environmental laws, and we will continue to use those laws to safeguard public health and our environment for the benefit of all people who call this place home.
Infographic sources:
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p03426.pdf
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p01727.pdf
https://www.cleanwisconsin.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/WI-particulate-exposure-analysis_public_5182022.pdf
