Following up on work that Earthrise Clinical Professor Tom Buchele began three decades ago, Earthrise is again working with forest advocates in southern Illinois to halt excessive logging in the Shawnee National Forest that threatens endangered species and was rammed through the approval process without proper environmental analysis.

Earthrise is supporting a lawsuit to protect sequoia regeneration in California's Nelder Grove, challenging the Forest Service's attempt to bypass environmental review for emergency logging. Recent developments paused logging on over 700 acres, but legal questions remain as the case moves forward.

Earthrise Law Center and Northwest Environmental Advocates are challenging the EPA's approval of flawed water pollution plans for the Deschutes River and Budd Inlet, aiming to protect endangered fish species and restore critical water quality in Puget Sound.

Earthrise Law Center and Northwest Environmental Advocates have filed a new lawsuit to force stronger protections for endangered salmon and steelhead in Oregon's rivers, challenging federal agencies' failure to safeguard critical cold water refugia as river temperatures rise.

From old-growth forests to endangered rivers, Earthrise's East Coast Office is making waves in 2025 with bold legal action to protect ecosystems and strengthen environmental safeguards.

Earthrise wrapped up a successful 2024–25 school year, with students contributing to major environmental victories, including protecting endangered species and restoring river habitats. The clinic also welcomed back co-founder Dan Rohlf as director as it looks ahead to its 30th anniversary.

On behalf of Earthrise and Lewis & Clark, we want to thank you for your interest in—and for many of you, your participation in—the clinic and its mission. Below, we summarize Earthrise's accomplishments and transitions, and we invite you to support Earthrise as it nears its 30th year of protecting the environment and training the next generation of legal advocates to do the same.

Bob Sallinger, who sadly passed away in October, was for decades one of the most tireless and effective advocates for conservation in both the Portland area and across the state of Oregon.

In 2024, Earthrise attorneys achieved significant milestones in advancing the clinic's dual mission: safeguarding the environment and equipping the next generation of legal advocates with hands-on experience. As Earthrise approaches its 30th anniversary, we invite you to join us in supporting this essential work in a critical time for environmental protection.

This past Tuesday in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, former Earthrise legal fellow and current Public Justice staff attorney Haley Nicholson delivered her first (of many, we are certain) appellate oral argument on behalf of our client, American Whitewater. 

Earthrise is looking for a smart, enthusiastic, hard-working person with a positive attitude and a desire to have a career in the public interest environmental legal field.

Lia Comerford to serve as Acting Director as we bid Farewell to Allison LaPlante

Lydia's argument to protect stretches of the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests is a culmination of her work as a summer clerk, clinic student, and now a fellow.

Earthrise's team filed its Motion for Summary Judgment on behalf of its client, the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance (BRWA) to halt the Robert's Gap Project, a large logging project, in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests of Arkansas.

Drew Baloga '24 argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of Earthrise clients Earth Island Institute and the Center for Biological Diversity.

Earthrise is gearing up to have a great and productive summer with the help of our 2023 clerks Zach Nacev, Jamie Johnson, Julia Taylor, Evelyn Mailander, and Drew Baloga. 

Earthrise's legal challenge to the Long Term Management Plan for the Glen Canyon Dam is now before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. 

At the end of November 2022, Earthrise had a big win when we obtained a preliminary injunction in our lawsuit on behalf of Sea Shepherd New Zealand and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society seeking to protect the Māui dolphin, a critically endangered dolphin found only in waters around New Zealand's North Island. 

In February, Earthrise Legal Fellow, Alex Houston traveled to San Francisco for oral argument before the Ninth Circuit in the third appeal of our long-running RCRA case against the Forest Service.

Earth Day 2023's theme is "Invest in Our Planet." At Earthrise, we are investing our time and energy in using legal tools to protect the environment and in training the next generation of environmental advocates. Here are some reflections from Professor Dan Rohlf, Earthrise Co-Founder, as we celebrate Earth Day this year. 

On Friday, April 14th, 2023, Earthrise hosted our annual end of the school year celebration for the 2022-2023 clinic class.

Lewis & Clark Law School's Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law Program, in collaboration with Environmental Law, held its 2023 symposium: Protecting Biodiversity: Five decades of progress but an uncertain future on April 7th. 

Today in our clinic Professor Dan Rohlf, who is Of Counsel for Earthrise, visited to present about the recent issue Earthrise has been working on relating to sea otters. 

Nate Hausman, Kathryn Roberts, Mike Sargetakis, and Emma Bruden were panelists for our career panel during last week's clinic class.

Congratulations to current Earthrise students Casey Bage (3L) and Glenda Valdez (3L) for organizing an excellent event last week, "Build First, Ask Questions Later." 

Earthrise attended the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference that took place on Thursday, March 2, 2023, to Sunday, March 5, 2023 in Eugene, OR. It was a great weekend where we learned about current issues in the field. We also had the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues after a three year pause of in-person PIELC events. 

To donate to Lewis and Clark's Day of Giving '23 click here.

A Ninth Circuit Court panel granted Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project's (BMBP) request to keep the injunction against logging in place for the Walton Lake sale on the Ochoco National Forest

One of our summer 2022 law clerks discusses their experience with Earthrise this last summer. 

Lydia L. Dexter was a 2022 summer Tomorrow's Advocates Clerk and recounts her experience last summer. 

The summer 2023 Tomorrow's Advocates clerkships application is now open and closes on Monday, November 14th, 2022 at 11:59 pm.

The Tomorrow's Advocates program enables select Lewis & Clark law students to clerk for 10 weeks during the summer months as paid externs or paid interns.

The Green Energy Institute (GEI) and Earthjustice celebrate victory while representing climate, environmental justice, and community-led social justice organizations in proceeding by Oregon regulators reviewing NW Natural's request to raise gas bills.

Haley Nicholson '22 argued for increased environmental action as a certified law student.

A federal judge halted a 78-acre (31.5-hectare) commercial timber harvest in central Oregon at the request of Earthrise and on behalf of the Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project.

Alum argues in the Court of International Trade to protect 57 remaining Māui dolphins.

Susan Jane Brown '00 was honored by the OSB ENR section on February 11, 2021.

Our latest newsletter detailing opposition to mining near Mount St. Helens, another summer of the "Tomorrow's Advocates" program, information about upcoming events, and welcoming our new legal fellow.

Earthrise attorney Kevin Cassidy was awarded the Cape Cod Bay Life Preserver Award for 2016 by the Jones River Watershed Association (JRWA). JRWA Executive Director Pine duBois said Cassidy was being recognized for his work on the Pilgrim Nuclear Plant trial in August 2016, which challenged a permit from the Town of Plymouth, MA given to Entergy Corporation authorizing the long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel at the Pilgrim plant located on the shores of Cape Cod Bay. 

Professor Dan Rohlf discusses a recent appeals court decision which allows animals to be considered "threatened" based on climate change models. He speaks with Bloomberg Law hosts June Grasso and Michael Best on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law."

Read about our exciting win against EPA regarding Ballast Water; Earthrise wins precedent setting case in Jackson County against GE Crops; Staff Growth; Save the Date for the 20 Year Anniversary Party; Year End Giving!

Read about our victories in the Snow Basin Timber Sale and Buffalo River cases.

Earthrise settled a major case against Magic Mountain theme park in California. Read, and hear, all about it in our recent newsletter!

Breaking News on Buffalo River Case, Earthrise Hires new Attorney, Support Earthrise and its long fought cases

Big Public Lands Wins and Farewell to Aubrey Baldwin

Spring Newsletter: Update on Chesapeake Bay TMDL Case, Alumni Highlight, Craig Johnston runs the Boston Marathon and Staff Transitions.

The winter edition of Rising Issues: CRC, VGP, Dan Mensher, and more!

10/30/13 - Federal laws are for the birds…and the national rivers! Read about our work protecting national treasures in our latest newsletter.

8/23/13 - Read the summer edition of our newsletter, Rising Issues, featuring our latest achievements, our summer externs, staff transitions at Earthrise, and more!

5/29/13 - Read the spring 2013 issue of our newsletter, featuring our alumni who protect the environment in the governmental sector!

2/14/13 - Read our winter newsletter, highlighting Earthrise students' roles in Supreme Court briefing and in an herbicide case in eastern Oregon, plus more.

11/2/12 - Read our latest newsletter, with updates on our work in Arizona, New Jersey, and more.

5/31/12 - Read up on the latest at Earthrise (formerly PEAC), including the Oregon temperature water quality standards victory, clinical experiences of our students, and collaboration with India.

3/23/12 - "Law professor challenges legality of CRC": article in The Columbianfeaturing PEAC attorney Tom Buchele.

3/8/12 - PEAC attorney Tom Buchele is quoted in this article on the Columbia River Crossing from ClimateWire: "How a bridge divides the environmentally conscious in Portland, Ore."

2/6/12 - A proposed downsizing of the Columbia River Crossing project is not necessarily good for the environment and should be subject to environmental review and public comment.

Topics include the Boardman settlement, PEAC's new class, California condors, and the CRC.

Topics include the Ballast Water Settlement, PEAC on video, and PEAC's new Clinic Director and new staff attorney.

Check it out!

Our Spring newsletter is here. Read on…