A California public interest law firm and environmental advocacy organization
Our Projects
Environmental Litigation
We represent plaintiffs in land-use and environmental litigation to preserve the environment.
We are currently representing Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the Environment (SCOPE) in its California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) litigation against the City of Santa Clarita. The city recently approved the Vista Canyon project, which would develop heavily in the 100-year floodplain of the Santa Clara River. This river is the last mostly unchannelized river in Southern California. The lawsuit seeks to reduce the impact of the development on the river.
California Public Records Access Center
Citizens should have access to records maintained by all levels of government. At the California Public Records Access Center we provide information for the public on how to use the California Public Records Act and the federal Freedom of Information Act to obtain information from government agencies.
Litigating access to computer data files under the California Public records Act (PRA) is a long-term focus of ours. Our executive director is an attorney of record, along with Sabrina Venskus, for the Sierra Club in its PRA lawsuit against Orange County in the California Supreme Court. This suit was brought to obtain the county's GIS land parcel data, which the county claims is "computer software" under the definition in Gov. Code § 6254.9.
There are numerous other type of computer data files that public agencies routinely refuse to provide under the PRA. We plan to remedy this with our PRA litigation project.
Los Angeles Regulatory Monitor
Environmental activists wishing to participate in the environmental approvals procfess frequently don't find out about projects that affect them until too late. This happens becahse there are a large number of information sources that need to be monitored, including:
- the state CEQA database
- the agendas of county boards of supervisors, city councils, and district boards
- city and county agencies such as planning departments, water and power agencies, and sanitation agencies
- state agencfies such as the Dept. of Fish and Game and the Water Boards
- the Federal Register, for federal projects affecting the local area
We are setting up a monitoring program to pass on project information from these sources to the Los Angeles environmental organizations and activists who need it.
Los Angeles Regulatory Watchdog
Former Los Angeles City Controller Laura Chick audited city follow-up to promises and conditions in permits and agreements with developers and permittees. She found that many of the things the permittees had promised had not been done. LARW will monitor post-approval duties and alert authorities and interested activists and organizations when there is a need for follow-up.
Land Trusts and Conservancies
We are currently setting up a land conservancy for Southern California, and are available for consultation with organizations and individuals interested in doing the same in other areas.
Assisting Pro Se Litigants
We provide legal assistance to individuals and organizations undertaking environmental and other public-interest litigation on their own behalf.
Los Angeles Environmental Blog
On January 1, 2012 we started a blog on the environment in Los Angeles.
Contact Information
Dean Wallraff, Attorney at Law
Executive Director
Advocates for the Environment, Inc.
P.O. Box 4242, Sunland, CA 91041
(818) 679-3141
dw@aenv.org