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Defending the West's Communities

WELC's work with communities

In the West, communities value their natural surroundings and seek to strike a balance between economic growth and a healthy liveable environment. Throughout the West, the Western Environmental Law Center is helping neighborhood associations, rural governments, and other community groups secure long term protection of their unique natural resources and traditions.

Protecting communities and habitats from the devastating effects of LNG terminals and pipelines: In the rush to exploit interest in new "alternative" energy development, Oregon has been targeted for the development of three liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals along the coast and nearly a thousand miles of gas pipelines that would crisscross the state.
Protecting Water Resources in New Mexico Roadless Areas & Wilderness through Outstanding National Resource Waters Designation: The Western Environmental Law Center is representing a coalition of conservation groups working to protect water resources in New Mexico’s Roadless Areas and Wilderness by designating their waters as Outstanding National Resource Waters, the highest form of protection under the federal Clean Water Act.
Protecting Rural Nevada's Groundwater Resources: The Western Environmental Law Center is representing a broad coalition of citizens’ groups, rural governmental entities, and individuals in their fight to keep the Southern Nevada Water Authority from taking all available groundwater from rural eastern Nevada and western Utah, building a massive 200-mile pipeline project, and pumping millions of gallons of water each year to feed Las Vegas’s uncontrolled growth.
Ensuring the Public's Right to Know - Pesticide Reform: In a long campaign with Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides the Western Environmental Law Center has sought full disclosure of active and inert ingredients in pesticides to the public under the Freedom of Information Act.
Cleaning up Contamination at the Los Alamos National Laboratories: The Western Environmental Law Center recently filed a complaint in federal court on behalf of nine New Mexico community organizations and two individuals. Click above for more details.

Tell state leaders to take action NOW on climate change!
WELC Files Suit to Gain Release of Basic Public Documents Regarding the Proposed Desert Rock Power Plant Withheld by the BIA
WELC Protests BLM's Failure to Consider Climate Change in Offering Oil and Gas Leases in New Mexico: Sloppy industrial practices make oil and gas drilling the second-largest source of greenhouse gas pollution in New Mexico, but the Bureau of Land management intends to open up another 100,000 acres of the state to the oil and gas industry without considering the impacts of climate change and without requiring the use of the latest technologies to cut global warming pollution.
Citizens Bring Suit to Clean up Air Pollution from Industrial Dairies in Lower Yakima Valley
Drilling the Climate: Colorado Oil and Gas Auction to Fuel Global Warming, BLM Ignoring its Responsibility to Protect Colorado’s Climate

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Defending the West's Communities