Network of Experts

We can often connect your neighborhood group with other activists working on similar campaigns to build confidence and share lessons, ideas and information.  We also maintain an informal expert referral list with legal, public health and environmental professionals who are sometimes willing help local groups pro bono or at a reduced fee.  Key parts of our network include:

• Expert referral list including more than 100 different environmental and public health professionals ranging from lawyers, hydro-geologists, physicians, advocates, academics, epidemiologists, engineers, policy experts, toxicologists, and biologists.
• Database of citizen activists with experience working on a wide range of toxics issues including hazardous waste, aquatic pesticides, lawn pesticides, aerial pesticide spraying, incineration, landfills, solid waste, fossil fuel power plants, nuclear power plants, gasification and plasma arc, corporate polluters, indoor air quality, toxics use reduction, sludge, and energy production.
• Legal research through our partnership with the Vermont Law School Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic
• History of former citizen campaigns in more than 625 communities throughout New England
• Reference to New England Grassroots Environment Fund and other funders, as well as grant writing assistance

We also work to bring together different neighborhood groups fighting the same problem through coordinated statewide campaigns.  These campaigns reinforce local campaigns and impact the issue by providing additional organizing support, such as new conferences and reports, which put additional pressure on state government decision-makers.