The Beacon
The Beacon is an environmental justice-focused blog discussing current developments in the law, proposals to achieve more just actions to those disproportionately affected by environmental impacts, and those leading the movements to trailblaze an environmentally just future.
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Hoosier Wetlands By Neil Goswami Introduction Indiana’s wetlands constitute vital habitat for myriad species of native flora, mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and insects.[1] Some of Indiana’s wetlands are ephemeral—holding...
National “Forever Chemical” Settlements: Swift Justice or Gross Disservice? By Dane Whitman A new star has risen over the field of mass toxic tort litigation. Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a non-stick...
A Civil Application of McGirt: What Could this Mean for Tribes? By Lauren Burden In McGirt v. Oklahoma, the U.S. Supreme Court held the Muscogee Creek lands were a reservation...
The Rescission of the Roadless Rule and What This Could Mean for Vermont By Maddy Foley The United States Department of Agriculture recently announced that they will rescind the Roadless...
Insulating Our Own: How Zoning Code Updates Can Reduce Heat Deaths in Maricopa County, Arizona By Grace McGuire Spikes in summer temperatures leave urban dwellers across the globe in search...
From Due Diligence to Circularity: Why America must Follow the European Union’s lead on EV Batteries By Lakshita Dey The electric vehicle (EV) revolution promises a cleaner future but has...
Institutionalizing Environmental Extortion: Why Jobs Projections Don’t Belong in Environmental Permitting Applications By Kathryn LaMontagne In the foundational environmental justice text From the Ground Up Luke Cole and Shiela Foster define Environmental...
Conservation Easements Perpetuate Inequitable Land Holdings By Jill Reynolds Conservation easements reinforce inequitable land holdings. Such easements are conservation tools utilized exclusively by private landowners.[1] For tax benefits, private landowners...
How ICE Raids Impact the Enforcement of Labor Rights for Migrant Farmworkers By Grace Cunningham Migrant farmworkers are the backbone of the U.S. agricultural industry, providing essential work from planting...
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