The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan environmental advocacy organization that focuses on protecting the environment in the southeastern United States. Founded in 1986, it has grown to become the largest environmental law organization in the region.
Key Features
Mission and Focus: SELC's primary mission is to protect clean air, clean water, and a livable climate while preserving the region's natural resources. They tackle a wide range of environmental challenges, including climate change, wildlife protection, and land conservation.
Geographic Scope: The organization operates in six southeastern states: Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. They also maintain an office in Washington, D.C. to address federal issues.
Legal Expertise: SELC employs over 100 lawyers and has a total staff of about 200 working across nine offices. They use their legal expertise to challenge environmental threats through litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships.
Major Initiatives
SELC has been involved in several significant environmental campaigns:
- Coal Ash Cleanup: They've led efforts to force utilities to properly store or recycle coal ash, resulting in major cleanups across the Southeast.
- Pipeline Opposition: SELC played a crucial role in the cancellation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline after a six-year campaign.
- Endangered Species Protection: They've successfully challenged permits for projects that threaten endangered species, such as the N.C. 540 highway extension.
- Land Conservation: SELC has prevented construction and logging on approximately 700,000 acres of land in their six-state region.
- Energy Market Regulation: They've partnered with other nonprofits to challenge energy market proposals that could negatively impact the environment.
While SELC is widely recognized for its environmental protection efforts, it's worth noting that the organization has faced criticism from some quarters for its opposition to certain energy infrastructure projects, including nuclear energy initiatives.
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