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Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment

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The Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment (CRPE) is a California-based nonprofit organization founded in 1989 that provides legal support to grassroots groups in environmental justice communities.[1] It focuses on addressing environmental issues affecting low-income communities and communities of color.[2]

Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment
NicknameCRPE
Formation1989; 35 years ago (1989)
FoundersLuke Cole and Ralph Abascal
HeadquartersDelano, California, United States
Locations
OriginsCalifornia Rural Legal Assistance

CRPE's stated mission is "to achieve environmental justice and healthy, sustainable communities through collective action and the law." The organization provides organizational, technical, and legal assistance to underserved communities facing environmental challenges. Its offices are in San Francisco and Delano, California. Although much of its work focuses on California, it also supports work elsewhere.[1][3][4]

History

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Luke Cole and Ralph Abascal began CRPE as a program within California Rural Legal Assistance and then founded it as a separate organization in 1989.[5][6] The organization works with communities affected by environmental problems.[7] CRPE has participates in advocacy campaigns and legal cases in underrepresented, low-income communities.[8][9] The organization provides support to address environmental and health challenges.

CRPE operates with the involvement of environmental justice attorneys. Co-founder Luke Cole provided legal and technical assistance to attorneys and community groups addressing environmental issues nationwide and was the Executive Director of the CRPE until he died in 2009. He was recognized by Berkeley’s Ecology Law Quarterly with the Environmental Leadership Award in 1997.[10] Ralph Santiago Abascal, a graduate of UC Law SF, co-founded CRPE alongside Luke Cole. Abascal contributed by advising other attorneys and participating in over 200 court and administrative cases related to environmental justice issues affecting marginalized communities.[9][11] Caroline Farrell became the Executive Director, based in the Delano office, after Cole's death.[12][13]

Notable cases

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The Center on Race, Poverty, and the Environment has participated in legal cases addressing environmental issues in impacted communities, including:

  • El Pueblo Para El Aire y Agua Limpio v. County of Kings: The proposed expansion of the Chemical Waste Management hazardous waste landfill in Kettleman City, California, drew opposition from local advocacy groups, such as the Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment (CRPE) and El Pueblo Para El Aire y Agua Limpio, due to concerns about potential environmental and health impacts on the surrounding community. Ruled on in 1991.[14][15]
  • Angelita C. et al. v. California Department of Pesticide Regulation: An administrative complaint filed with the EPA alleging that the California Department of Pesticide Regulation failed to adequately protect Latino schoolchildren from pesticide exposure. Filed in 1999, ruled in 2011.[16][17][18][19][20]
  • Romo v. Brown: This case addressed concerns about the potential impact of fracking near schools and residential areas, particularly in Latino communities in California’s Central Valley. Filed in 2015.[21][22][23][24][25]
  • Central Valley Air Quality Coalition v. San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District: CRPE and other organizations filed a lawsuit against the district, claiming it allowed industrial sources to increase pollution levels in the San Joaquin Valley. Filed in 2023.[26][27]

Publications by CRPE staff

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  • Abascal, Ralph Abascal and Luke Cole. (1995). "The Struggle for Environmental Justice: Legal Services Advocates Tackle Environmental Poverty Law." Clearinghouse Review (29):459.
  • Cole, Luke W. (1994). "The Struggle of Kettleman City: Lessons for the Movement." Maryland Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 67–80
  • Cole, Luke W. and Sheila Foster. (2001). From the Ground Up: Environmental Racism and the Rise of the Environmental Justice Movement. New York: NYU Press.
  • Farrell, Caroline. (2012). "A Just Transition: Lessons from the Environmental Justice Movement." Duke Forum for Law and Social Change, 4, pp. 45–64.
  • Macey, Gregg, Caroline Farrell, Kayla Anderson, et. al. (2024). "Pesticide Use and Civil Rights in Central California: Slow Violence and the State." Environment Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 66(6): 6-24.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Center on Race Poverty & Environment - GuideStar Profile". guidestar.org. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  2. ^ "Rembering Professor Luke W. Cole, 1962-2009". UC Law Environmental Journal. 16 (1): 241. 2010-01-01. ISSN 1080-0735.
  3. ^ "Outsourcing Global Warming Solutions | Reimagine!". reimaginerpe.org. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  4. ^ Cummings, Claire Hope (2000). "CENTER ON RACE POVERTY AND THE ENVIRONMENT: Providing Technical and Legal Assistance to the Grassroots Movement for Environmental Justice". Race, Poverty & the Environment. 7 (2): 56–56. ISSN 1532-2874.
  5. ^ Szasz, Andrew (1994). EcoPopulism: toxic waste and the movement for environmental justice. Social movements, protest, and contention. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-0-8166-2174-3.
  6. ^ Shanklin, Carita (1997). "Pathfinder: Environmental Justice". Ecology Law Quarterly. 24 (2): 333–376 – via HeinOnline.
  7. ^ Hevesi, Dennis (June 10, 2009). "Luke Cole, Court Advocate for Minorities, Dies at 46". The New York Times.
  8. ^ Shearwater, Debra (2009-09-01). "Soldier For Justice". stanfordmag.org. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  9. ^ a b Taylor, Michael (2009-06-09). "Luke Cole - environmental justice lawyer - dies". SFGATE. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  10. ^ Newell, Brent (2010). "Remembering Luke Cole". Journal of Environmental Law & Litigation. 25 (1): 3–6. ISSN 1049-0280.
  11. ^ "An Enduring Tribute to Ralph Abascal, '68". UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  12. ^ "Caroline Farrell". Planning and Conservation League. 2016-06-21. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  13. ^ "Caroline Farrell". Greenpeace. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
  14. ^ "El Pueblo Para el Aire y Agua Limpio v. County of Kings". elr.info. Retrieved 2024-12-01.
  15. ^ Perkins, Tracy E. (2022-04-05). Evolution of a Movement: Four Decades of California Environmental Justice Activism (1 ed.). University of California Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctv2ks6v57. ISBN 978-0-520-97634-4.
  16. ^ Buford, Talia (2015-08-11). "In California, an unsatisfying settlement on pesticide-spraying". Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
  17. ^ Rubin, Sara (2013-09-19). "Latino Families Sue EPA, Seeking Environmental Justice for Exposure to Pesticides". Monterey County NOW. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
  18. ^ Tory, Sarah (2016-06-02). "Why the EPA fails to enforce the Civil Rights Act". High Country News. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
  19. ^ Gross, Liza (2024-02-20). "California Pesticide Regulators' Lax Oversight Violates Civil Rights Laws, Coalition Charges". Inside Climate News. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
  20. ^ LoPresti, Tony (2013). "Realizing the Promise of Environmental Civil Rights: The Renewed Effort to Enforce Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964". Administrative Law Review. 65: 757–820.
  21. ^ Cahill, Nick (July 16, 2015). "Fracking Called Special Threat to Latino Kids". Courthouse News Service.
  22. ^ "Allison Rowe | Environmental Justice". sites.williams.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  23. ^ "Lawsuit Challenges California's New Fracking Regulations, Claims Discrimination Against Latino Children". East County Magazine. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
  24. ^ "Battle Continues Against Fracking Near Schools". courthousenews.com. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  25. ^ "Fracking Called Special Threat to Latino Kids". courthousenews.com. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  26. ^ Gore, JaNell (2023-05-27). "Environmental organizations filed a lawsuit against San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District". South Kern Sol. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  27. ^ "Valley Air District and Air Quality Coalition disagree over climate credits". KERO 23 ABC News Bakersfield. 2023-06-08. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
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