Fighting for environmental justice laws,
outside of the courtroom
By Rebeka Dawit | April 22, 2025
Last year, Courtney and I met with our clients to brainstorm the goals of the Healthy Communities bill. Photo by Neighbors for Clean Air.
The heart of Crag’s environmental justice (EJ) program is balancing the scales of justice. In theory, our environmental laws are meant to protect everyone–regardless of race, color, ability, or income, but in practice these environmental laws often fall short. Although the current federal administration has been relentlessly rescinding EJ funding and support, this is not the first time that EJ advocates have faced an exceptionally uphill battle. Fighting for equal protection under our laws, be it environmental or otherwise, is a tale as old as this country. Our clients have been advocating for environmental justice for decades, even when environmental justice was not a priority for government agencies or environmental groups. But EJ should always be a priority, even when it’s not “easy.” That’s why we’re working with our clients to pass better environmental justice laws here in Oregon.
Kelsey, Megan, and I went to the Capitol in February to talk to high school students about environmental justice bills we’re working on.
As you are reading this, Oregon’s 2025 Legislative Session is underway. Crag has been supporting our EJ clients with the development of policy, and the years and months of work that goes into preparing for each legislative session. While we do not lobby, we add critical capacity for our clients seeking to balance the scales of justice in our environmental laws. With Crag’s help, our clients are able to participate in this crucial work feeling empowered with knowledge and support, and with the added capacity to see their bills over the legislative finish line and into our environmental laws.
There are three environmental justice policy packages Crag has been proud to work with our clients on this session:
I spoke with students before they met with legislators about how the Healthy Communities bill would help protect clean air. Photo by Megan Gleason.
1) Planning for Healthy Communities:
BIPOC and low-income communities are oftentimes exposed to inequitable zoning of industrial or heavy polluting industries near where they live, work, study, and play. We’re proud to support a broad coalition of organizations including Neighbors for Clean Air, Verde, Beyond Toxics and 1000 Friends of Oregon to advance a bill that, if passed, would create a public health impact analysis for zoning decisions to ensure that industrial uses are not sited near sensitive uses such as schools, parks, care facilities, and hospitals. This stemmed from the lawsuit we worked on with NE Portland neighbors to challenge a 244,000 square foot warehouse that was sited near homes and schools in one of Portland’s most diverse neighborhoods. This issue is by no means unique to Portland, and only further exacerbated the need for proactive, community involved zoning practices that protect those most vulnerable to the harmful effects of industrial pollution.
2) Funding Equitable Transportation:
There is a $1.7 billion package that is being recommended to the Oregon Department of Transportation for its 2025-2027 budget. Our client Verde is working within a broad public interest coalition to ensure that this money goes to investing in safety, emissions reduction, diverse transportation options, and governance that involves diverse voices to ensure that all Oregonians are represented in this historic package.
Last year, Eric and I went to Parkrose High School’s EJ Action Fair to talk about environmental justice issues we’re working on.
3) Advancing Water Justice:
Addressing Oregonians’ right to safe and reliable drinking water is another priority of the 2025 legislation. We’re supporting our client Verde in navigating bills relating to: renters’ right-to-know in water quality testing, well water testing, low-income ratepayer assistance, and technical assistance for small-community water systems that need updating.
Parkrose and McDaniel High School students came to the Capitol to advocate for clean air. Photo by Neighbors for Clean Air.
Our work doesn’t stop after the legislative session ends. Sometimes, industry groups try to delay, flout, or challenge the policies we help our clients pass because they don’t want to be held accountable. So even after bills are signed into law, we continue to support our clients to ensure the laws are meaningfully implemented and enforced, and defended against industry attacks. Throughout these processes, our clients remain in the lead, and we provide advice and support to ensure that they remain empowered, no matter the political climate.
Rebeka Dawit, Environmental Justice Staff Attorney
Rebeka earned her JD and LLM from Lewis & Clark Law School, where she completed a legal fellowship at the Global Law Alliance (formerly known as the International Environmental Legal Project). She received her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies with a focus in Natural Policy from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She first became involved with Crag as a Summer Associate in 2018, and this experience only further cemented her desire to work in public interest environmental law. She is passionate about environmental justice, and the need for representation in the environmental legal community. When not at work, she enjoys hiking, embroidering, baking, painting, and cultivating her apartment jungle from various local plant nurseries.