Our mission is to drive positive change through dedicated environmental advocacy and consultation. With a steadfast commitment to justice and sustainability, we have proudly supported the San Carlos Apache Tribe in their formal tribal consultation with the EPA on federal Copper Smelter National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants. Our tailored assistance empowered the tribe to navigate the engagement process with confidence, ensuring their voices were heard.

In Los Angeles County, we have taken a multifaceted approach to environmental justice. Notably, we supported the Lincoln Heights community in collaboration with California Communities Against Toxics and the Lincoln Heights Community Coalition. As part of this work, we developed a globally accessible interactive map visualizing vapor intrusion sites, equipping residents with critical information about environmental health risks. We also contributed to community meetings, peaceful protest materials, and alternative land-use proposals to challenge a proposed distribution center near several Title 1 schools in an area ranked in the 97th percentile on CalEnviroScreen for environmental vulnerability.

Additionally, we’ve conducted advanced geospatial analysis to create impactful visual materials for environmental justice leaders. Our work in planning and executing toxic tours across L.A. County’s industrial corridor has brought together diverse stakeholders and elevated frontline concerns.

Through these efforts, we continue to elevate community voices, advocate for equitable development, and push for systemic environmental change.

Examples of Our Work

Avenue 35 Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, CA

As part of a broader effort to support environmental justice in Los Angeles County, work was carried out in partnership with California Communities Against Toxics and the Lincoln Heights Community Coalition to assist the Lincoln Heights community. A globally accessible interactive map was created to identify and visualize vapor intrusion sites across the region, providing residents with essential information about environmental health risks. In addition, peaceful protest posters were developed in collaboration with local organizers, and participation in community meetings helped maintain ongoing engagement with residents’ concerns. Contributions were also made to alternative land-use proposals for a contested site originally planned for a distribution center—located directly across from several Title 1 schools. Given the area’s ranking in the 97th percentile on CalEnviroScreen for environmental and socioeconomic vulnerability, these efforts supported community advocacy for safer, more sustainable development and helped elevate local voices in the push for equitable urban planning. Find full articles on this communities efforts HERE.

San Carlos Apache Tribe

More than a decade after the statutory deadline, EPA has issued a proposed review and revision of its air toxics emission standards for primary copper smelters under Clean Air  Act § 112(d)(6) and § 112(f)(2). ​There are currently three primary copper smelters operating in the United States. Of these, two are by far the worst polluters. Both are located near the San  Carlos Apache Reservation. The Asarco smelter, owned by Grupo Mexico, is located in  Hayden, Arizona, less than 5 miles from the Reservation. Freeport’s Miami, Arizona smelter is located less than 8 miles from the Reservation. ​EPA must issue a new proposal, free from the defects above, that requires the maximum achievable degree of reduction in all the hazardous air pollutants that copper smelters emit, protects public health with an ample margin of safety, and prevents adverse environmental effects.  ​

Major To Minor

A major source polluter is a facility that emits large quantities of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), typically defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as emitting 10 tons or more per year of a single HAP or 25 tons or more per year of a combination of HAPs. These are often large industrial operations such as power plants, chemical manufacturing facilities, or smelters. In contrast, a minor source polluter—also known as an area source—emits smaller amounts of pollutants, falling below the 10/25 ton threshold. These sources may include smaller businesses like dry cleaners, gas stations, or local workshops.

The key difference between the two lies not only in the volume of emissions but also in their impact on public health and the level of regulatory oversight they face. Major sources pose a greater health risk to surrounding communities due to the high volume of toxic pollutants they release, which can lead to serious conditions such as respiratory illnesses, cancer, and developmental disorders. As a result, they are subject to strict federal regulations, including the use of Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) to limit emissions. Minor sources, while still contributors to air pollution—especially in densely populated or vulnerable areas—are typically regulated at the state or local level with less stringent requirements.

The maps shown illustrate all the major source polluters across the United States that were proposed to be reclassified out of the “major source” category, despite continuing to emit 25 tons or more of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) annually. This proposed change was a significant threat to public health and environmental protections, as it would have allowed these high-emitting facilities to avoid the strict regulations required under the Clean Air Act. The maps were invaluable because they visually demonstrated the vast scale and severity of the potential deregulatory action. By showing the geographic distribution and density of these polluters, especially in vulnerable and overburdened communities, the maps made the consequences of this policy change unmistakably clear. They provided a powerful visual tool for advocacy, helping communities, policymakers, and environmental justice leaders grasp the gravity of weakening such critical safeguards and underscoring the urgent need to uphold strong environmental protections.

Clean Air Act Infringements

The Clean Air Act is a landmark federal law passed in 1970 (and amended in 1977 and 1990) that regulates air emissions from both stationary sources (like factories and power plants) and mobile sources (like cars and trucks). Its main goal is to protect public health and the environment by reducing air pollution, including pollutants that cause smog, acid rain, and serious health issues like asthma, lung disease, and cancer.

One of the most important parts of the Clean Air Act is the requirement that major sources of hazardous air pollutants use the Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) to limit emissions. MACT standards are the strongest pollution controls available and are meant to ensure that industries do everything possible to reduce toxic emissions. If facilities that still emit high levels of pollution (like 25 tons or more of hazardous pollutants per year) are no longer required to follow these strict controls, it would be a serious infringement on the Clean Air Act. It would undermine the very purpose of the law—to protect air quality and public health—by allowing polluters to avoid responsibility. Rolling back these requirements weakens environmental protections, disproportionately harms low-income and marginalized communities, and sets a dangerous precedent for future deregulation.