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The Community Guide to Cumulative Impacts Using Science and Organizing to Advance Public Health Policy
The document explains the science of cumulative impacts, contrasting traditional single-chemical risk assessments with a holistic approach that considers multiple pollution pathways, pollutant accumulation, and non-chemical stressors. It advocates for the precautionary principle and the regulation of chemicals as classes to better protect overburdened communities, while emphasizing that lived experience and qualitative data are essential scientific components for effective policy.
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Document type: Guide
Using Science and Organizing to Advance Public Health Policy
The Community Guide to Cumulative Impacts explains how to identify and quantify the combined effects of multiple pollutants and social stressors on public health. It details existing state and city laws in the US that allow regulators to deny permits based on cumulative impacts and provides a framework for community organizing, including drafting model legislation and using environmental justice mapping tools.
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Document type: Guide
Fighting for Affordable and Fair Transit Service in Boston, Massachusetts
The document details the history of transit inequality in Boston, specifically focusing on the Roxbury neighborhood, and outlines the advocacy work of Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE) and the T Riders Union (TRU) to secure affordable, fair, and sustainable transit services.
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Document type: Case study
FREEDOM TO MOVE GRASSROOTS SPOTLIGHT: ALLENDALE STRONG
The document details the historical and ongoing struggle of the Allendale neighborhood in Shreveport, Louisiana, against urban highway expansion. It describes how past projects like I-20 and I-49 contributed to racial segregation and population decline in Black communities. The text focuses on the 'zombie freeway'—the I-49 Inner City Connector (I-49 ICC)—which was revived in 2009 and threatens to displace homes and further harm the Allendale community. In response, the Allendale Strong initiative and its 'Loop-It' project have used technical modeling, legal action, and coalitions like the Freeway Fighters Network to challenge the project and propose an alternative that prioritizes wealth-building streets and multimodal transit over highway capacity expansion.
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Document type: Case study
We must all step up to our role in reconciliation
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) asserts that reconciliation is a collective national responsibility, emphasizing that environmental and health outcomes depend on justice for Indigenous and racialized people. CAPE is implementing this through internal decolonization, the launch of an Indigenous Caucus on October 1st, and partnerships like the Place-Based Power Project, which addresses health and climate impacts from fossil fuel extraction in Northern BC, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories. The organization also advocated for Bill C-226 and updates to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) to recognize the right to a healthy environment and address disproportionate exposures on Indigenous lands.
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Document type: Statement
The US Petrochemical Buildout: America’s Next Big Climate Mistake
A CIEL analysis finds that 118 planned or underway petrochemical projects in the US could add 153.8 million metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions annually, potentially increasing the sector's share of US greenhouse gas emissions from 5.2% to over 7%. The report highlights that ten megaprojects account for half of these potential emissions and that ammonia production is a significant growth area, with 95% of proposed US ammonia production derived from methane gas. Furthermore, the buildout is concentrated in already polluted areas like Louisiana's "Cancer Alley" and the Ohio River Valley, deepening environmental injustices.
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Document type: Report
Upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Meetings and the Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations (INC-5)
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and other signatories call on Canada to lead efforts at the UN General Assembly and INC-5 to establish a legally binding global plastics treaty. They argue that the treaty must move beyond product controls to include supply-side measures and mandatory national reductions in virgin plastic production to protect human rights and the health of frontline communities, specifically citing the benzene pollution crisis at Aamjiwnaang First Nation.
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Document type: Statement
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks
Representative Jennifer L. McClellan issued a statement in the Congressional Record recognizing the 40th anniversary of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI). She highlighted EESI's role since 1984 as an independent nonprofit providing members of Congress and staff with nonpartisan, science-based educational resources on climate, clean energy, and environmental topics. McClellan noted that EESI's resources assist congressional offices in serving constituents and mentioned her own participation in EESI's podcast, 'The Climate Conversation', to discuss environmental justice, public health impacts of the climate crisis, and community resilience.
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Document type: Statement
Comments on the Draft State of PFAS Report and Risk Management Scope (July 2023)
The submission argues that the Canadian government's updated approach to PFAS is insufficient, specifically criticizing the proposal to exclude fluoropolymers from the PFAS class and the use of outdated bioaccumulation criteria. The authors call for the fast-tracking of PFAS listing on Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and a more ambitious risk management scope that prioritizes prohibitions over technical feasibility studies.
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Document type: Statement
Esta semana: ‘Asombroso’ aumento del registro de votantes
The document reports a significant increase in voter registration among young people and people of color in the U.S. following Joe Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 race. It highlights that while economic issues are a primary priority for Generation Z, climate change is a critical driver, particularly for women of color and voters in swing states. The briefing provides guidance for reporters to explore how climate justice and environmental concerns are influencing the electoral behavior of this demographic.
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Document type: Briefing
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATES’ RESPONSE TO PETITION FOR RULEMAKING TO RESCIND EPA’S TITLE VI DISPARATE IMPACT REGULATIONS
A coalition of advocates argues that the EPA's disparate impact regulations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 are essential for protecting marginalized communities from disproportionate environmental harms. The document details systemic environmental racism, provides case studies of both successful and failed civil rights enforcement, and urges the EPA to strengthen rather than roll back these protections.
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Document type: Statement
COAL'S HEALTH IMPACTS IN PHOLA
The report details a community health screening in Phola, Mpumalanga Highveld, finding severe environmental degradation and widespread health issues linked to coal mining. Key findings include high rates of respiratory symptoms, chronic conditions, and a strong community perception that the environment is hazardous. The study also highlights socio-economic vulnerabilities, including high unemployment and reliance on social grants, and recommends strategies for government, healthcare providers, and the community to mitigate these impacts.
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Document type: Report
AIR QUALITY
Climate change is exacerbating air pollution through increased wildfires, ground-level ozone, and longer allergy seasons, posing severe health risks to children. Children are uniquely vulnerable due to their developing organs and higher breathing rates. The document highlights that 2°C of global warming could increase childhood asthma cases by 4% and notes that wildfire smoke is ten times more harmful to the respiratory health of children aged five or younger than other PM2.5 sources. Recommendations include minimizing outdoor exposure during high-pollution events, using HEPA filters, and transitioning away from fossil fuels to improve air quality.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The Oil and Gas Sector Needs to Tackle Its Methane Problem. Here’s How to Track It.
The OCI+ tool provides data on the methane intensity of global oil and gas resources, highlighting that the sector is responsible for an estimated one-third of global methane emissions. The tool aims to help policymakers, investors, and civil society prioritize the highest-emitting assets for mitigation. The document emphasizes that over half of industry methane emissions can be profitably reduced and notes the role of satellite monitoring in identifying super-emitters. Additionally, the OCI+ includes an environmental justice feature to map the risks posed by gas flaring to nearby communities, specifically utilizing 2022 US flaring data.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Protecting Government Science from Political Interference
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) reports that political interference in government science is an ongoing issue, with 326 documented attacks across the last four presidential administrations. An analysis of 38 federal agencies found that 71% show low or nonexistent compliance with scientific integrity requirements established by the Biden administration. The report advocates for agency-level reforms to communication and enforcement, as well as the passage of legislation such as the Scientific Integrity Act to ensure accountability across different administrations.
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Document type: Executive summary
Protecting Government Science from Political Interference
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) evaluated 38 federal agencies on their adherence to scientific integrity metrics, finding that 71% scored 'poor' or 'worst'. The report argues that political interference in science disproportionately harms underserved communities and proposes a blueprint for the next presidential administration to strengthen scientific integrity through better policy enforcement, transparency, and the integration of environmental justice principles.
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Document type: Report
HYDROGEN POLICY’S NARROW PATH
The report categorizes hydrogen applications into 'high-value' (primarily chemical feedstocks) and 'low-value' (primarily energy provision), arguing that the latter are often outcompeted by direct electrification. It warns that without strict guardrails on production, electrolytic hydrogen could increase net greenhouse gas emissions. The author recommends focusing infrastructure on tight industrial clusters and utilizing demand-side policies like advance market commitments and contracts for difference to scale high-value uses while minimizing risks in low-value sectors.
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Document type: Report
BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, HEALTHY GULF, OCEAN CONSERVANCY, AND OCEANA
The document is an amicus curiae brief filed by environmental organizations to oppose legal challenges to a BOEM rule that requires offshore oil and gas lessees to provide more robust financial assurances for decommissioning. The brief argues that the existing regulatory framework has failed, leading to a massive backlog of overdue wells and platforms, significant environmental risks, and potential multi-billion dollar liabilities for taxpayers. It asserts that the new rule is in the public interest as it ensures funds are available for cleanup, reduces the risk of leaks and navigational hazards, and supports the growth of the decommissioning industry.
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Document type: Legal commentary
La Ley de Reducción de la Inflación cumple 2 años y es más popular de lo que crees
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has driven significant clean energy investment and job growth in the US, particularly in Republican-led areas, despite political efforts to repeal it and general public unfamiliarity with the law's specific provisions.
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Document type: Briefing
NEPA Recommendations for Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs
The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) recommends that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) use a programmatic NEPA analysis with tiered analyses for individual projects within each hydrogen hub to manage varying project schedules and cumulative impacts. CATF advises the DOE to build internal capacity, coordinate early with federal and state resource agencies, and provide consistent technical guidance and templates to applicants. To ensure transparency and environmental justice, the document suggests implementing public dashboards, regional scoping meetings, and accessible communication strategies to engage local communities.
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Document type: Statement