Air

Fighting for clean air

Clean air is essential to our day-to-day well-being, our long term health, and our ability to enjoy our natural heritage. Just ask an emergency room patient with asthma, a parent facing the reality that the contamination of a home or school may be putting their children at risk, hikers in the Mt. Hood National Forest on a hazy day, or tribal children visiting the disappearing petroglyphs and pictograms of the Columbia River Gorge. The dangers of air pollution are real, and the fight for clean air can be challenging in an industrial economy. Large-scale polluters and those with vested interests in polluting technologies and industries tend to have deep pockets to fund their activities. Earthrise Law Center supports communities’ efforts to match the forces arrayed against their families and the environment.

On behalf of our dedicated clients, Earthrise has protected Oregon from the use of HCFC 142-b, an ozone depleting substance and potent greenhouse gas, halted the construction of a new coal plant along the Columbia River, ensured the shut-down of Oregon’s only dirty coal-fired power plant by 2020, facilitated a landmark agreement with a neighborhood polluter to reduce its air emissions, and reviewed countless permits and agency actions with regard to air quality. As a litigation-focused law firm, Earthrise provides the type of representation needed to decisively prevail in court, but also brings substantial skill to the table when public campaigns and negotiations provide the most effective way forward.