Environmental Law and Policy Center
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| Founded | 1993 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Howard A. Learner |
| Focus | Environmentalism |
| Location | |
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Area served
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Midwest U.S. |
| Method | Litigation, Advocacy |
|
Revenue
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$6 million USD |
|
Employees
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Approx. 40 |
| Slogan | "Protecting the Midwest's Environment and Natural Heritage" |
| Website | elpc.org |
The Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) is a Midwest-based non-profit environmental advocacy group, with offices in Chicago, Columbus (OH), Des Moines (IA), Duluth (MN), Jamestown (ND), Madison (WI), Sioux Falls (SD), and Washington, D.C. ELPC's mission is to advance environmental progress and economic development together throughout the Midwest through projects that advance clean energy, clean air, clean water and clean transportation.
Founded in 1993, ELPC today has a staff of more than 40 public interest attorneys, public policy analysts, scientists, finance specialists, and media experts. ELPC's annual revenues of about $6 million are raised from more than 160 foundation and individual major donors, as well as many supportive members across the Midwest and nation. The organization has consistently received the highest rating from Charity Navigator, the independent non-profit rating agency.
ELPC was founded in 1993 by Howard A. Learner, a public-interest attorney, after a year-long strategic planning process sponsored by seven major foundations.
The organization advocates for improved policies and policy implementation at the federal, state and local levels related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean air, clean water and smart transportation. Attorneys who work for the organization represent local grassroots organization in litigation related to the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act and other major pieces of national environmental legislation before federal and state courts as well as state and local administrative bodies. The organization states that its attorneys and policy advocates work on multi-disciplinary teams alongside scientists, finance specialists, media experts and others.
The organization's governing leadership includes a Board of Directors, Science Advisory Council, Next Generation Advisory Council and state-based advisory councils in Iowa, Michigan and South Dakota. Members of the Board and Advisory Councils include individuals from legal, civic, business and non-profit sectors.
ELPC runs a number of environmental advocacy programs:
Impacts made by the ELPC include:
2012
March 15: Indiana adopted anti-degradation standards, required by the Clean Water Act, to protect waterways.
February 29: After years of legal action by ELPC accompanied by advocacy from environmental organizations, Illinois' Fisk and Crawford coal plants announced planned closures for 2012 and 2014.
2011
Due to advocacy by local organizations including the ELPC, the city of Chicago disinfects 1.2 billion gallons of wastewater returned to the river daily.
Successfully advocated for Illinois' improved recycling law, which diverts electronic waste with toxic components to landfills where the chemicals can leach and contaminate groundwater used for community drinking water supplies.
Used the Clean Water Act to require stringent phosphorus reduction and anti-degradation standards in Iowa and Wisconsin.
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