Community Victories
Land use, Environmental Justice, and Environmental Health.
Illegal Asphalt Plant in Rogue Valley Stopped- Numerous Appeals Later
In 2016, after an appeal made by the Mountain View Paving Company, the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) upheld a 2015 victory that Crag secured on behalf of Rogue Advocates.
New Setback for Jordan Cove LNG Export Terminal
On Friday, July 17, 2020, Crag successfully overturned a local land use decision that would have allowed the Jordan Cove LNG export facility and pipeline to go forward. The Land Use Board of Appeals reversed the City of North Bend’s land use permit for disposal of material dredged from Coos Bay.
Environmental Justice in West Eugene
In September 2019, the Lane County Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA) agreed to improve air quality monitoring and community engagement in West Eugene. This was in response to a 2014 civil rights and environmental justice complaint that Crag had filed against the EPA.
Oregon Farmers Win in Court of Appeals
In 2019, the Oregon Court of Appeals issued two decisions that protect Oregon farm and forest lands from being converted into large subdivision developments proposed under former Oregon Ballot Measure 37. The Court reversed two decisions issued by Yamhill County that authorized subdivisions on high-value farmland in the Chehalem Mountains and near Bald Peak Mountain.
Crag Secures a Ban on Pesticides in Compost Used in Organic Food Production
In 2016, Crag and the Center for Food Safety fought on behalf of several nonprofits to close a USDA loophole that had allowed synthetic pesticides in compost used for organic production. The groups argued that NOP had unlawfully changed long-standing organic regulations to create a new pesticide loophole without allowing the public to participate in the decision.
Development Along the White Salmon River Blocked
In 2013 Crag celebrated a victory with our clients, Friends of the White Salmon River and Friends of the Columbia Gorge, in blocking an ordinance that attempted to rezone 1,000 acres of riverside land along the White Salmon River.
Crag Helps Molalla Residents Win Clean Water Act Protections
On September 4th, 2015, Crag secured federal court approval of an agreement to settle a lawsuit against the City of Molalla for violations of the Clean Water Act brought on behalf of local conservation group, Bear Creek Recovery.
Industrial Expansion of Port Westward Halted
In August 2014, another victory was celebrated with our longtime client Columbia Riverkeeper for protection of the Columbia River. In a unanimous decision the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) rejected the Port of St. Helens’ rezoning proposal.
Grand Island Farmland Protected from Gravel Mine
On October 10, 2012 the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) issued a decision, which found that Yamhill County’s approval of the gravel mine was flawed. Since 2010, Crag walked the local farmers through the process of organizing, challenging the proposal, and later, winning the appeal.
Unfair Settlement Over Toxic Waste Dump Stopped at Alkali Lake
In 2012 Crag objected to a settlement by a polluter company owned by Bayer Cropscience, the company that made and profited from the sale of the toxic chemical Agent Orange. The unfair settlement was between Bayer and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and effectively would have left them off the hook for toxic chemical pollution near Alkali Lake in Central Oregon.
Crag Fights with Inupiat Communities for the Second Time
In January of 2011, the Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) in Washington, DC rejected two air permits issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to Shell Oil for proposed offshore drilling projects in the Arctic for the second time.
Crag Secures Landmark Environmental Justice Victory for Rosemere Neighborhood
On September 17, 2009, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the EPA’s Office of Civil Rights had violated its regulations by systematically failing to address discrimination complaints filed by communities that are suffering from environmental pollution.