Meagan Niebler
Electric Utilities, Private Equity, and Your ...

Electricity bills around the United States are skyrocketing. (CNN). In Pennsylvania, household electricity prices have shot up nearly 50 percent over the past five years. (Inside Climate News). Ratepayers in Ohio and West Virginia have also experienced dramatic price increases. Low and middle-income households have had a hard time keeping up. (Pa. Capital-Star).  In 2025, nearly 290,000 Pennsylvania households had their electric service disconnected for falling behind on their payments — a 14 percent increase from 2024. (Pa. PUC). 

Losing electric service can harm physical and mental health. (ABC News).  In the most extreme cases, disconnection can result in homelessness or death. (Nature). To “keep the lights on,” families may forgo food, medicine, child care, and other basic needs. (Pa. Capital-Star).  

Given the stakes, it’s important to understand how electricity prices are set, why costs are going up, and, most importantly, what we can do about it. 

Electric Utilities, Private Equity, and Your Bills
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

WV Rivers Coalition vs. Chemours - An Explainer on the Motion for a Preliminary Injunction

WV Rivers Coalition vs. Chemours - An Explainer on the Motion for a Preliminary Injunction

For years, Dupont has been polluting waterways and soils with the forever chemical PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid or “C8”), a type of PFAS that is used in Teflon coatings.  C8 is linked to numerous sicknesses, which have harmed or killed cattle, fish, wildlife, and humans.   [1] In 2001, private citizens sued Dupont to hold it accountable for the damage it caused and continues to cause. As one of the responses to that lawsuit, Chemours started as a spinoff of Dupont’s chemical manufacturing arm and became independent in 2015.[2] 

The now independent company has a manufacturing plant along the Ohio River in Washington, West Virginia.

Keep Pittsburgh Water Public–Using Your Voice in the May 20th Election

Keep Pittsburgh Water Public–Using Your Voice in the May 20th Election

What is the ballot referendum?  

On May 20th, Pittsburgh voters will get to decide whether they want to keep their water systems public. The question will be displayed on the ballot as follows:  

“Shall the Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter be amended and supplemented by adding a new Article 11:  RIGHT TO PUBLIC OWNERSHIP OF POTABLE WATER SYSTEMS, WASTEWATER SYSTEM, AND STORM SEWER SYSTEMS, which restricts the lease and/or sale of the City’s water and sewer system to private entities?” 

Voting YES is a vote for public water. Voting YES would add an amendment to the Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter and protect our water systems from privatization.  

Environmental Justice Advisory Boards - A Scorecard for States

Environmental Justice Advisory Boards - A Scorecard for States

An Environmental Justice Advisory Board (EJAB) is a group that advises government agencies on issues related to environmental justice, ensuring that policies and actions address the needs and concerns of marginalized communities disproportionately affected by environmental harms. These boards play a crucial role in promoting fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race or income, in environmental decision-making processes.

Update on the East Palestine Train Derailment

Update on the East Palestine Train Derailment

Much has happened in the East Palestine community in the past year and a half since the Norfolk Southern train derailment – lawsuits have been filed, government investigations were carried out, and laws were proposed in response.    Many nonprofit organizations, including Fair Shake, have worked to help the community deal with the accident and the collective response. 

Fair Shake's Earth Day Highlights

Fair Shake's Earth Day Highlights

We hope everyone found a meaningful way to celebrate Earth Day, whether by planting trees, participating in a community actions, or simply spending time appreciating the beauty of nature. Our team marked the occasion by planting pollinator gardens, launching a little seed library in their neighborhood, and talking to their children about power and decision-making in our local governance.

Get to know a little bit about our team below & let's continue to prioritize environmental stewardship every day, ensuring a healthier planet for future generations.

24 Women and Non-Binary Environmentalists to Know in 2024

24 Women and Non-Binary Environmentalists to Know in 2024

Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services would like to highlight these twenty-four champions of the environment in honor of Women’s History Month 2024. The Climate Crisis is not gender neutral—uplifting the voices of women and non-binary environmentalists is crucial to building sustainable environmental justice and conservation efforts. We want to take the time to celebrate the contributions of these amazing advocates and the inspiration they continue to provide us with to live in harmony with our planet and fiercely protect the places where we live, work, and play. 

Stay in touch!

 
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