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DarkSky International, Environment America, and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility’s Petition to Initiate Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on Orbital Data Center Applications
DarkSky International, Environment America, and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility have petitioned the FCC to pause the licensing of orbital data center satellites pending a comprehensive programmatic environmental review. The petitioners argue that current proposals from companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Starcloud, and Cowboy Space—which collectively seek to deploy over a million satellites—would cause unprecedented light pollution, atmospheric degradation, and orbital debris. They contend that the FCC's current practice of categorical exclusion is outdated and fails to account for the synergistic impacts on human health, wildlife, astronomy, and indigenous cultural practices.
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Document type: Statement
Petition to Develop a Comprehensive Pesticide Data Program under the Maryland Agricultural Code
A coalition of organizations and experts is petitioning the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) to implement a mandatory pesticide data reporting system. They argue that MDA has failed to meet a statutory obligation dating back to 1989 to develop a comprehensive data program, relying instead on sporadic, voluntary surveys that undercount pesticide use and lack the detail necessary for scientific research. The petition highlights the severe risks pesticides pose to children, farmworkers, and the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, noting that climate change exacerbates these harms. The petitioners propose a system where certified applicators and restricted-use pesticide sellers submit annual records to a searchable public database, citing similar models in California and New York.
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Document type: Report
Petition to EPA to Require Revision of California SIP Provisions related to Fee Programs
The People’s Collective for Environmental Justice, Communities for Better Environment, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, and Sierra Club argue that the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has violated the Clean Air Act (CAA) by failing to penalize major stationary sources for ozone precursor emissions. The petitioners claim that Rule 317, intended as an alternative fee program for the 1979 one-hour ozone standard, is a "paper exercise" that allows polluters to avoid fees through unrelated credits. Furthermore, they assert that SCAQMD has completely failed to adopt required fee programs for the 1997 and 2008 eight-hour ozone standards. The document emphasizes that these failures disproportionately harm low-income communities and communities of color in the South Coast Air Basin, which is described as having the worst ozone pollution in the United States.
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Document type: Statement
PETITION TO THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY To revoke the approval of approximately 600 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that were granted through low-volume or low-release and low-exposure exemptions to the premanufacture notice requirements of the Toxic Substances Control Act
Earthjustice and a coalition of environmental and health organizations petitioned the EPA to revoke PMN exemptions for approximately 600 PFAS. The petitioners argue that the weight of scientific evidence proves PFAS pose unreasonable risks to human health and the environment, including to susceptible subpopulations, thereby failing the legal standard for exemptions under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). They highlight that current LVE and LoREX thresholds allow contamination levels far exceeding safe drinking water health advisories and that the EPA's voluntary stewardship program has a withdrawal rate of less than 3 percent.
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Document type: Statement
FROM THE GROUND UP II
The document is a supplemental petition by Earthjustice and the New York City Community Garden Coalition (NYCCGC) requesting that New York City agencies designate community gardens as Critical Environmental Areas (CEAs). It argues that these gardens provide essential services in underserved areas, including food security, flood resiliency, and mitigation of extreme heat. The petition highlights ten specific gardens as examples of these benefits and requests a city-wide assessment of all community gardens on City-owned land to ensure their legal protection against development projects.
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Document type: Report
PETITION TO THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY To prohibit the use of certain exemptions to the premanufacture notice requirements of the Toxic Substances Control Act for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
The petition argues that PFAS, due to their toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation, cannot meet the legal standard of not presenting an 'unreasonable risk' required for PMN exemptions. It specifically targets the Byproducts, Low Volume (LVE), Low Release and Exposure (LoREX), and Polymer exemptions, asserting that these loopholes allow hazardous chemicals to enter the market without adequate safety review or public notification.
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Document type: Report
PETITION TO THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS SEEKING RELIEF FROM VIOLATIONS OF THE RIGHTS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTHEAST ALASKA INDIGENOUS TRANSBOUNDARY COMMISSION RESULTING FROM HARD-ROCK MINING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
The Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission (SEITC), representing fifteen tribal nations, petitions the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for relief against Canada. The petition argues that six hard-rock mines in British Columbia—including the Red Chris, Brucejack, and KSM mines—threaten the Taku, Stikine, and Unuk river watersheds. These mines risk releasing toxic heavy metals and experiencing catastrophic tailings-dam failures, which would devastate salmon and eulachon populations essential to the Petitioners' subsistence, health, and cultural identity. The document asserts that Canada has failed its international obligations to prevent transboundary harm and has not obtained the free, prior, and informed consent of the affected Indigenous communities. It further argues that Canadian domestic legal remedies are inadequate for foreign tribes.
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Document type: Report
PROVISION OF WATER TANKS AND RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY TO EMALAHLENI COMMUNITIES AS A MATTER OF URGENCY
The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) has petitioned Minister Lindiwe Sisulu to urgently provide water tanks and tankers to communities in eMalahleni, including Extension 11, Empumelelweni, Extension 14, and Coronation. These areas have lacked reliable water supply since September 2019, forcing residents to rely on contaminated streams polluted by coal mines and industry. The CER argues that this lack of water violates constitutional rights and severely hinders COVID-19 prevention efforts, as residents cannot perform essential handwashing. The letter calls for immediate government intervention to provide both emergency relief and sustainable long-term water access.
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Document type: Statement
COMMUNICATION TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD In the case of CHIARA SACCHI (Argentina); CATARINA LORENZO (Brazil); IRIS DUQUESNE (France); RAINA IVANOVA (Germany); RIDHIMA PANDEY (India); DAVID ACKLEY, III, RANTON ANJAIN, AND LITOKNE KABUA (Marshall Islands); DEBORAH ADEGBILE (Nigeria); CARLOS MANUEL (Palau); AYAKHA MELITHAFA (South Africa); GRETA THUNBERG (Sweden); RASLEN JBEILI (Tunisia); & CARL SMITH AND ALEXANDRIA VILLASEÑOR (USA); Petitioners, V. ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, FRANCE, GERMANY & TURKEY, Respondents
The document is a formal petition by sixteen children from various countries against five states, alleging that their failure to mitigate climate change violates the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It details specific harms faced by the petitioners—including extreme heat, wildfires, and sea-level rise—and argues that the respondents' current emission pathways are inconsistent with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement. The petitioners request that the Committee recognize climate change as a children's rights crisis and recommend that the respondent states accelerate mitigation efforts and prioritize the best interests of children.
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Document type: Report
PETITION TO BE GRANTED INTERVENER STATUS IN RE: APPEAL BY THE PRACTICE GROUP (PTY) LTD (ON BEHALF OF ATHA VENTURES AFRICA (PTY) LTD) AGAINST THE DECISION OF THE JOINT MUNICIPAL PLANNING TRIBUNAL SITTING IN THE APPLICATION FOR CHANGE IN LAND-USE (IN TERMS OF REGULATION 18 OF THE SPLUM REGULATIONS) IN RESPECT OF PORTION 1 OF YZERMYN 96 HT, IN THE DR PIXLEY KA ISAKA SEME LOCAL MUNICIPALITY AND THE GERT SIBANDE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY, MPUMALANGA
A petition submitted by eight civil society organisations, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), seeking intervener status in an appeal by the Practice Group (Pty) Ltd on behalf of Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd. The appeal concerns a land-use change application for Portion 1 of Yzermyn 96 HT in the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Local Municipality, Mpumalanga, to transition the land from agriculture to mining.
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Document type: Statement
Petition for Non-Disputing Party Status In Gabriel Resources Ltd. and Gabriel Resources (Jersey) v. Romania (ICSID Case No.ARB/15/31)
Three Romanian NGOs—Alburnus Maior, Greenpeace Romania, and the Independent Center for the Development of Environmental Resources (ICDER)—are petitioning the ICSID Tribunal for amicus curiae status in the case of Gabriel Resources Ltd. v. Romania. The petitioners argue that the proposed open-pit gold mine in Roşia Montană poses severe risks to cultural heritage, including 2000-year-old Roman mining galleries, and threatens the environment through the use of cyanide, citing the 2000 Baia Mare spill as a precedent for potential disaster. They assert that their participation is essential to provide the Tribunal with unique factual and legal insights derived from their direct connection to the affected local communities and their history of strategic litigation against the project's permits. The NGOs emphasize that the case involves significant public interest, including the potential forced relocation of over 350 families and the risk of environmental degradation, which justifies transparency and civil society participation under the Romania-Canada BIT and ICSID rules.
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Document type: Statement
PETITION TO THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TO AMEND ITS “AGGREGATE COMPLIANCE” APPROACH TO THE DEFINITION OF “RENEWABLE BIOMASS” UNDER THE RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE CONVERSION OF NATIVE GRASSLAND
The petition argues that the EPA's aggregate compliance scheme allows the conversion of millions of acres of native grasslands into corn and soy cropland, violating the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007. This conversion is linked to significant greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and habitat loss. The petitioners request that the EPA require individualized proof of compliance for each biomass source and adjust renewable volume obligations to match the supply of EISA-compliant land.
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Document type: Statement
PETITION TO THE NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION TO REGULATE SECOND GENERATION ANTICOAGULANT RODENTICIDES AS RESTRICTED USE PESTICIDES
A coalition of conservation organizations petitioned the New York Department of Environmental Conservation to ban second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs), arguing that these chemicals bioaccumulate in the environment and cause widespread mortality among non-target wildlife, pets, and children. The petitioners provide evidence of over 225 lethal poisoning incidents across 31 wildlife species in New York and highlight the disproportionate impact of rodenticide exposure on minority and disadvantaged communities in New York City. The petition asserts that SGARs violate state and federal wildlife protection laws, including the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and argues that safer, effective alternatives such as first-generation anticoagulants, non-anticoagulant chemicals, and mechanical trapping are available.
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Document type: Report
PETITION TO THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS SEEKING RELIEF FROM VIOLATIONS OF THE RIGHTS OF ARCTIC ATHABASKAN PEOPLES RESULTING FROM RAPID ARCTIC WARMING AND MELTING CAUSED BY EMISSIONS OF BLACK CARBON BY CANADA
The Arctic Athabaskan Council (AAC) has filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, arguing that Canada's inadequate regulation of black carbon emissions is causing rapid Arctic warming and melting. This environmental degradation is alleged to violate the human rights of Arctic Athabaskan peoples in Canada and the United States, specifically their rights to culture, property, health, and means of subsistence. The document details the potent warming effect of black carbon, the fragmented nature of Canadian air quality regulations, and the specific ecological and social impacts on Athabaskan communities, including the decline of caribou populations and the loss of traditional knowledge. The petitioners request that the Commission investigate these harms and recommend that Canada implement mandatory measures to limit black carbon emissions.
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Document type: Report
Petition for certification of Canada pursuant to 22 U.S.C. § 1978 for failing to prevent or mitigate the impacts of tar sands extraction on 130 migratory bird species, including whooping cranes, as well as on woodland caribou
The petition argues that large-scale tar sands development in Alberta, Canada, causes direct and indirect 'takings' of protected species, specifically 130 migratory bird species (including the endangered whooping crane) and threatened woodland caribou. It details how tailings ponds, habitat fragmentation, and pollution lead to mass mortality and population decline. The document further asserts that Canada's regulatory failures and the industry's contribution to global warming exacerbate these threats, violating the spirit of international conservation agreements. Consequently, the petitioners call for a formal investigation and certification by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior under the Pelly Amendment.
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Document type: Statement
Solicitud de Medidas Cautelares: Suspensión Exploración de Hidrocarburos en Territorios del Pueblo Indígena Cacataibo
The request argues that 2D seismic exploration by Petroleum del Perú S.A.C. in Lot 107 poses an imminent threat of irreparable harm to the life, health, and integrity of isolated Cacataibo groups. The document highlights that the exploration area overlaps significantly with proposed Cacataibo territorial reserves and that the use of explosives and the influx of workers increase the risk of forced contact, which historically leads to mass death from disease and violence. It further claims that the Peruvian state approved the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) without proper consultation with settled Cacataibo communities and that the EIA's safety measures are insufficient to prevent forced contact or environmental contamination.
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Document type: Report
PETITION TO REVOKE ALL TOLERANCES AND CANCEL ALL REGISTRATIONS FOR THE PESTICIDE CHLORPYRIFOS
The petition argues that the EPA's risk assessments for chlorpyrifos are flawed because they ignore robust peer-reviewed data on developmental neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, and inhalation exposure. The petitioners claim that prenatal and early-life exposure causes permanent cognitive impairment and that the EPA's reliance on a 10% cholinesterase inhibition benchmark is insufficient to protect vulnerable populations. They further highlight that inhalation exposure in rural areas far exceeds dietary exposure and that the U.S. continues to export high volumes of the pesticide to developing countries.
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Document type: Statement
AMENDED PETITION OF COMMUNITIES FOR A BETTER ENVIRONMENT, THE BLUEWATER NETWORK OF EARTH ISLAND INSTITUTE, AND THE CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW TO APPEAR JOINTLY AS AMICI CURIAE
An amended petition filed on October 13, 2000, by Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), the Bluewater Network of Earth Island Institute, and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) requesting permission to participate as amici curiae in the NAFTA Chapter 11 arbitration between Methanex Corporation and the United States.
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Document type: Statement
KM_C554e-20180912161209
This document consists of a letter from the South African Department of Water and Sanitation to the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) and a formal petition from ACWA Power Khanyisa Thermal Power Station (RF) (Pty) Ltd. ACWA Power is requesting that the Minister of Water and Sanitation uplift the automatic suspension of its Integrated Water Use Licence (IWUL), which was suspended following an appeal lodged by the CER on behalf of groundWork.
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Document type: Statement
acwas-further-petition-for-upliftment-of-iwul-7.11.2018-0e657327ff43c1c5.pdf
This document consists of a letter from ACWA Power Khanyisa Thermal Power Station (RF) (Pty) Ltd to the Minister of Water and Sanitation, dated 7 November 2018, requesting the upliftment of an automatic suspension of its integrated water use licence (IWUL). The suspension resulted from an appeal by the groundWork Trust, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER). ACWA Power argues that the suspension hinders project development and contradicts its existing environmental authorisation.
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Document type: Statement