ELI Receives Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant to Advance Racial Equity and Justice for California Native American Tribes
January 2022

(Washington, D.C.)—Tribal citizens’ physical, mental, and spiritual wellness is tied to environmental health, food sovereignty, and cultural identity. Yet, state and local environmental agencies regularly make decisions that impact the health and wellness of tribal communities without engaging in meaningful government-to-government consultation.

New Toolkit Helps Cities Address Climate Change & Food Waste Simultaneously
August 2021

(Washington, D.C.): Throughout the United States, our towns and cities are on the front lines when it comes to addressing food waste and climate change. Recognizing the link between these two challenges, the Environmental Law Institute has released a new report that will help towns and cities address these challenges simultaneously—in their climate action plans.

Center for State and Local Governance: Resources and Media

Model Governance Tools

ELI and NRDC have developed model food waste reduction policies to make it easier for local governments to adopt solutions. Based on extensive best practices research, these models provide legal language as well as background information and alternative approaches—all of which are intended to help guide stakeholders and policymakers in tailoring the policy to their unique circumstances.  

Giving Green Streets the Green Light: Improving Water Quality Through Capital Improvement Policies
Author
Cynthia R. Harris and Christina Libre
Date Released
June 2019
Giving Green Streets the Green Light: Improving Water Quality Through Capital Im

The vast majority of assessed water bodies across the United States are designated as impaired. Cities contribute to the problem with stormwater runoff from roads, buildings, sidewalks, and other impervious surfaces polluting our rivers, lakes and streams. Indeed, many localities are on the hook to meet a gamut of regulatory requirements, from MS4 permits to TMDLs in order to reduce polluted runoff. Innovative localities are turning to green infrastructure practices to reduce flooding, control erosion, and prevent polluted runoff from entering streams and other waterbodies.

New Report Examines the Federal-State Dynamic of Environmental Law and Policy
October 2018

(Washington, D.C.): While many environmental law and policy experts support giving states with demonstrated capabilities greater independence and flexibility in running delegated environmental protection programs, important concerns remain about what proposed reforms might portend, according to a new release by the Environmental Law Institute, The Macbeth Report: Cooperative Federalism in the Modern Era.

The Macbeth Report: Cooperative Federalism in the Modern Era
Author
David Clarke, Scott Fulton, Adam Schempp, Sam Koenig, Christopher Ibrahim, and John Pendergrass
Date Released
October 2018
The Macbeth Report: Cooperative Federalism in the Modern Era

Policy professionals and the public who care deeply about the success of the United States’ environmental protection enterprise recognize that current challenges to the system demand both careful reflection and concerted action. Many changes over recent years have brought the United States to a point where our environmen­tal system may be ready for some fundamental realignments, including changes in states’ capacity, technological capabilities, and business behavior and expectations.

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