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SELC We are the Southern Environmental Law Center — the largest nonprofit, nonpartisan environmental legal advocacy organization rooted in and focused on the South.

Nonprofit and nonpartisan, we are the South’s largest and most effective environmental advocate and protector. As lawyers, policy and issue experts, and community advocates and partners, we take on the toughest environmental challenges. And we win. In court, in government, and with our communities, we defend and protect our air, water, climate, wildlife, lands, and the people who live here. Transforming our region away from fossil fuel to clean energy, righting environmental injustice, stopping pollution, and protecting nature — when we solve these issues here, we lead the way for others. That’s why we say: Solutions start in the South.

The Forest Service received well over 1 million comments telling them to continue to protect our wildest forests by keep...
10/12/2026

The Forest Service received well over 1 million comments telling them to continue to protect our wildest forests by keeping the Roadless Rule in place.

Many state officials, local leaders, and member of Congress in the South spoke out too, and SELC extends a special thanks to North Carolina Governor Josh Stein and Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger for their unequivocal opposition to weakening protection for these natural treasures.

The Roadless Rule protects 45 million acres of the nation’s most precious public lands, including more than 700,000 acres right here in the South. The Forest Service’s move to rescind this overwhelmingly popular rule would open these places up to unnecessary roadbuilding, destructive logging, and other harmful industrial activities.

These forests provide us with clean drinking water, critical wildlife habitat, world-class fishing and hiking, and support for local economies across the country

An estimated 99% of comments opposed repealing the rule.

“The public has once again sent a clear, resounding message to the Forest Service that these incredible roadless forests must continue to be protected. The Roadless Rule is a legacy to be proud of, and we should safeguard these wild public lands for future generations. It’s past time for the Forest Service to listen to the public and abandon this reckless proposal.”

Our wild forests are a legacy worth protecting for generations to come: https://selc.link/4jiTx2G

Thank you, Haw River Assembly, for naming SELC your partner of the month. It’s an honor to help protect this watershed w...
10/09/2026

Thank you, Haw River Assembly, for naming SELC your partner of the month. It’s an honor to help protect this watershed with you.

Want to know more about the Haw River? The scenic 110-mile Haw River is at the headwaters of the Cape Fear River Basin, and includes the Jordan Lake reservoir, providing drinking water and recreation to NC. Tributaries of the Haw River and Jordan Lake flow through Forsyth, Randolph, Guilford, Rockingham, Caswell, Alamance, Orange, Chatham, Wake and Durham counties.

Photo of the Haw River by Cornell Watson

GREAT NEWS: SELC took legal action on behalf of local residents and just reached a settlement that prohibits data center...
10/06/2026

GREAT NEWS: SELC took legal action on behalf of local residents and just reached a settlement that prohibits data centers across a majority of the ACE Basin in Colleton County, South Carolina, including a massive 850-acre, $6 billion data center proposal.

This newly protected area is home to some of the most ecologically sensitive areas along the three major rivers that form the basin: the Ashepoo, the Combahee, and the Edisto.

This 1.6-million-acre watershed is steeped in rich history and diverse Lowcountry culture that also serves as prime habitat for waterfowl, migratory birds, and endangered species.

This victory shows us what we can accomplish when we work together with communities across the South.

Data centers are rapidly expanding across our region, and SELC is working alongside communities to ensure this growth doesn’t come at the expense of clean air, clean water, wildlife, and the people who call the South home.

Photo by J Henry Fair

10/02/2026

Climate action is happening in the South.

That was the perspective we brought to Climate Week NYC last week where we shared stories from a region that is shaping the future of the climate movement.

We talked about the rapid expansion of data centers and the wood pellet industry and their impacts on front line communities. We explored the importance of wildlife corridors and the extraordinary biodiversity of Appalachia. And, most importantly, we highlighted the people and communities across the South who are finding ways to protect the places they call home.

We're grateful to everyone who joined us, shared their perspectives, and stepped into the South with SELC at Climate Week NYC this year.

What does climate action in the South mean to you?

The public's right to know about government decisions, provide feedback, and oppose them is a critical part of our envir...
10/01/2026

The public's right to know about government decisions, provide feedback, and oppose them is a critical part of our environmental laws and gives people a way to keep their communities safe.

Now, Congress is considering a major policy change that looks like a wish list for the fossil fuel industry. They want to make it easier to build power plants and pipelines at the expense of public input and protection from pollution.

While some supporting this rollback do so in the hope of more clean energy, we’ve seen the Trump administration attack options like wind and solar at every turn. This deal risks giving the White House more power to keep boosting fossil fuels with fewer tools to stop them.

Leaving communities in the dark risks more public pushback and distrust, and that can be a problem even for much-needed wind, solar, and transmission infrastructure.

Read more from SELC Federal Regulatory Director Liz Zepeda about what's at stake for permitting reform talks in Washington: https://selc.link/4rIQT8u

Photo by J Henry Fair

09/30/2026

High gas prices are squeezing household budgets, yet National Highway Traffic Safety Administration just finalized a policy that locks drivers into buying even more gasoline over the life of their vehicles.

The Trump administration’s rollback of fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks means higher fuel costs over the life of a vehicle, more oil consumption, and more harmful climate and air pollution.

09/22/2026

What an incredible day. Thank you Joy Oladokun for closing out our inaugural event.

And thank you to Kyle Tibbs Jones and the The Bitter Southerner for partnering with us to highlight the importance of Southern storytelling with Joy Oladokun, Pooja Reddy, Kevin Young, and Natalie Chanin.

09/22/2026

Climate action in the South can mean a lot of things to people but one thing is for sure — it's happening.

We are thrilled to be at sharing all the challenges and opportunities we have in our region and why there is no path to solving the climate crisis that doesn't go through the South.

VICTORY: A federal judge has ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency unlawfully canceled the $7 billion Solar for...
09/19/2026

VICTORY: A federal judge has ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency unlawfully canceled the $7 billion Solar for All program, striking down the agency’s decision to end a nationwide program designed to lower electricity bills and bring affordable solar power to families and communities across the country.

“The court ruled the Trump Administration never should have terminated Solar for All because Congress intended it to continue, and EPA broke the law when it killed the program and pocketed the money,” said SELC Senior Attorney Nick Torrey. “Electricity bills are skyrocketing, so low-cost solar projects — which guarantee big savings — are needed now more than ever. Today’s victory means EPA must stop sitting on the $7 billion in funding for this program and start getting it out into communities to provide hardworking American families much-needed relief.”

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120 Garrett Street, Suite 400
Charlottesville, VA
22902

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