Rosemere Neighborhood Association » environmental justice

Video: Dvija Michael Bertish Interview with Jake Thomas on the Portland Observer Hour

admin — Thu, 13 May 2010 04:47:29 +0000

Please click on the arrow to begin the video. Dvija Michael Bertish recently sat down with Jake Thomas, Web Editor & News Reporter of the Portland Observer on Portland Observer Hour, and discussed the history of Rosemere Neighborhood Association's landmark environmental justice case as well as our dedicated work for environmental protection and improving the status of environmental justice communities.

Rosemere Settles Landmark Environmental Justice Case Against EPA

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 04:34:27 +0000
PRESS RELEASE****PRESS RELEASE****PRESS RELEASE ROSEMERE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SETTLES LANDMARK ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CASE AGAINST EPA’S OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS Contact: Ralph Bloemers, Crag Law Center Tel. (503) 525-2727 Contact: Dvija Michael Bertish, Rosemere Neighborhood Association, Tel. (360) 281-4747 www.crag.org , www.rosemerena.org (March 22, 2010) Judge Benjamin H. Settle, US District Court of Washington, entered a Stipulated [...]

Press Release: Rosemere Neighborhood Association, Columbia Riverkeeper, Northwest Environmental Defense Center Challenge Clark County Over Weak Stormwater Controls

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 02:21:00 +0000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 18, 2010 Contact: Jan Hasselman, Earthjustice, (206) 343-7340 ext. 25 Clark County Challenged for Weak Stormwater Controls Clean water advocates put county on notice illegal loopholes must be closed Vancouver, WA–Clean water advocates, represented by Earthjustice, today formally put Clark County on notice it could be sued under the federal [...]

Press Release: Rosemere Neighborhood Association, Columbia Riverkeeper, Northwest Environmental Defense Center Fight For Stronger Stormwater Controls in Clark County

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:45:47 +0000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 1, 2010 Contacts: Jan Hasselman, Earthjustice, 206-343-7340 ext. 25 Dvija Michael Bertish, Rosemere Neighborhood Association, 360-281-4747 Brett VandenHeuvel, Columbia Riverkeeper, 503-348-2436 Mark Riskedahl, Northwest Environmental Defense Center, 503-768-6673 Clean Water Advocates Fight For Stronger Stormwater Controls in Clark County Lawsuit filed to protect salmon and close illegal loopholes Lacey, WA.–Local residents [...]

Jackson Orders Agency to Speed Civil Rights Claims Reviews (reprinted with permission from Inside Washington Publishers)

admin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:27:37 +0000
From Inside Washington Publishers, September 28, 2009. Appears here with permission of the publisher. Click here to view article (pdf format): Jackson Orders Agency to Speed Civil Rights Claims Reviews

Press Release: RNA Wins Landmark Environmental Justice Case Against EPA’s Office of Civil Rights

admin — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:18:23 +0000
justice FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Chris Winter CRAG Law Center Dvija Michael Bertish Rosemere Neighborhood Association ROSEMERE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WINS LANDMARK ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CASE AGAINST EPA’S OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Criticizes EPA for a “Pattern of Delay” in Implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (September 18, 2009) Rosemere Neighborhood Association ("Rosemere") is a non-profit community organization in Clark County, Washington, dedicated to environmental protection and the pursuit of improvements to low-income environmental justice communities. In February 2003, Rosemere first filed a Title VI administrative complaint with EPA's Office of Civil Rights ("OCR") alleging that the City of Vancouver, WA had discriminated in the provision of municipal services in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Rosemere alleged that Vancouver failed to use EPA funds to address fairly long-standing problems in low-income and minority neighborhoods in West Vancouver.

Rosemere V. EPA, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Case – April 14, 2009

admin — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 03:25:11 +0000
On April 14, 2009, oral arguments were made in the Rosemere Neighborhood Association’s (RNA) appeal in its federal lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failure to conduct an appropriate investigation into allegations of retaliation. RNA filed a Title VI Environmental Justice complaint with EPA in February 2003 alleging that the City of Vancouver had discriminated in the provision of municipal services in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Specifically, the Title VI complaint alleged that the city had discriminated against Environmental Justice neighborhoods by failing to address failing septic systems, the lack of a comprehensive sewer network, contaminated ground and surface waters, poor air quality, industrial pollutants, urban blight and decay, and long-range planning that fails to alleviate these stresses. RNA contends the EPA failed in its fiduciary duties to properly investigate the Title VI complaint which has led to ongoing legal proceedings.

Rally Organized to Oppose the 12-Lane Columbia River Crossing – April 5, 2009

admin — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 06:44:08 +0000
#1 Senator Don Benton (WA), #2 Association of Oregon Rail & Transit Advocates, #3 Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz #1 Senator Don Benton (WA), #2 Association of Oregon Rail & Transit Advocates, #3 Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz It was the perfect day for a rally, the first nice spring day in the region. It took place at the noon at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland amidst freshly sprouted lawn, trees starting to blossom, a sunny blue-sky day, and a busy promenade with bicyclists, strollers, and roller skaters. Television crews buzzed about as the stump speeches began beneath the Hawthorne Bridge. Sponsors of the rally included the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, Coalition for a Livable Future, 1000 Friends of Oregon, Upstream Public Health and Oregon League of Conservation Voters. Speakers included Washington Senator Don Benton, Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz, and Former Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury.

Environmental Justice Conference at WSU – February 26, 2005

admin — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 03:37:08 +0000
Several members of the Rosemere Neighborhood Association attended EJ-ACT!, Environmental Justice - Action, Communities, and Topics, on February 26, 2005. The RNA wishes to thank Ben Duncan and Mark Stephan of Washington State University, Vancouver, and the Center for Social and Environmental Justice for presenting this daylong event featuring speakers and discussion leaders from all across the Environmental Justice field. The day began with Roy Wilson, Honorary Chief and Spiritual Leader of the Cowlitz Tribe welcoming us all to Cowlitz Country.