Meagan Niebler
"Who would listen?"  A story about living ...

When I moved to Virginia after college in 2016, I wanted a quiet neighborhood to call home, close to work and family. After the data center arrived, everything changed. I can’t bring myself to leave, even though I no longer see myself starting a family here. Over the past decade, I’ve built a support network, advanced my career, and remained close to relatives who depend on me. Every weekend, I watch my nephews, who go to the local elementary school just down the road. They notice the changes too, though they cannot comprehend their implications. Now, I feel stuck and unsure what to do.

"Who would listen?"  A story about living near a data center.
Beyond the Courtroom
Meagan Niebler
Celebrating Black History Month

Environmental justice exists because Black communities have always organized for clean air, safe water, healthy homes, and dignity. From fighting toxic dumping to defending land, housing, and public health, Black environmentalists have shaped the movement—often without recognition. We must thank Black leaders for addressing the interconnection between civil rights, labor safety, housing, and environmental health—their advocacy continues to shape how environmental law understands equity, participation, and accountability today. 

Check out this blog for some fun resources, including a zine to print and share with your community!

Celebrating Black History Month
Meagan Niebler
Rezoning - What Is It and How You Can Have a ...

Residents throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, are raising the alarm as new data centers, warehouses, and industrial facilities move in rapidly leading to public concerns surrounding noise, water, and power-usage. How is this happening so fast? Too often, municipalities approve these developments through quiet but completely legal rezoning processes. Many communities are left wondering: Can zoning rules really be changed that easily? Why don't we know about it? How can we get involved before final decisions are made? How does this work, and is there anything I can do about it? 


Here's how the zoning process works, how municipalities change their zoning maps and codes, what the legal requirements are, and how you can better advocate to protect your community from these unwanted changes. 

Rezoning - What Is It and How You Can Have a Voice in the Process
Brooke Christy
Ohioans and Environmental Organizations File ...

In H.B. 96, the Ohio General Assembly snuck anti-environment provisions into the bill at the last minute that removed important protections for Ohioans who want to file complaints against polluters while also invalidating community air monitoring data. These statutory changes have no relationship to Ohio’s budget and thus violate the Ohio Constitution’s requirement that all legislation include only one subject.

Ohioans and Environmental Organizations File Lawsuit Challenging Constitutionality of Air Pollution Amendment in State Budget
Meagan Niebler
The world around us: How does our environment ...

Have you ever gone for a walk outside, heard the birds, and felt it clear your mind? Even lift your mood? There's a reason why people say they need to "get outside" – our surroundings have a profound impact on the way we think, feel, and cope with our situations. But what is the effect when those surroundings are polluted, neglected, or even unsafe? Our environment impacts more than just our physical health; it has a substantial impact on our mental health too. 

The world around us: How does our environment affect our mental health?

Legal Lowdown

Sackett versus the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Sackett versus the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

On May 25th, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision on Sackett v. EPA, No. 21-454. This case follows the recent Supreme Court’s trend loosening environmental protection laws and weakening agency power. Here, the Court’s ruling will shrink the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s jurisdiction to enforce the Clean Water Act (CWA), by limiting regulatory authority to wetlands only if they have a continuous surface water connection to navigable waters such that they are indistinguishable from these bodies of water.

Battle RGGI: How the carbon emissions program has highlighted Pennsylvania’s political strife over environmental issues.

Battle RGGI: How the carbon emissions program has highlighted Pennsylvania’s political strife over environmental issues.

The question at issue is whether Gov. Wolf can enter RGGI through executive order - something that RGGI opponents staunchly deny. They argue that Gov. Wolf’s order undermines the legislature’s exclusive authority to impose taxes and enter interstate agreements. As an energy powerhouse, Pennsylvania’s entrance would significantly strengthen RGGI and become a  “political litmus test” for carbon pricing programs. RGGI would arguably be the most significant step Pennsylvania has ever taken to address climate change, and the battle over it has brought political tensions around environmental issues to the forefront.  

SCOTUS' Decision in West Virginia vs. EPA Weakens Federal Climate Efforts

SCOTUS' Decision in West Virginia vs. EPA Weakens Federal Climate Efforts

On June 30th, the Supreme Court weakened the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to protect the environment. In West Virginia v. EPA, a 6-3 decision authored by Chief Justice Roberts and joined by the other conservative justices, the Court ruled the EPA overreached in its efforts to curb air pollution. This decision forebodes more significant limitations on the EPA and other government agencies’ efforts to effectuate change. The ruling also makes clear what many environmental advocates already knew: the federal government, as currently designed, will not be the leader in the fight against climate change. Grassroots movements, community-oriented advocacy, and mass mobilization are essential in the effort to protect the planet, now more than ever. 

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