Our environmental laws give the public a right to review, comment on, and challenge environmental permitting decisions and other environmental policies. Unfortunately, this is not a level playing field. Industrial polluters have large budgets to retain expensive technical experts and make their case to state permitting agencies. Community groups, particularly in areas that suffer a disproportionate burden from air and water pollution, rarely have the resources to secure their own, comparable expert assistance.
The Center for Applied Environmental Science (CAES) was established to level the playing field by connecting environmental advocates with high-quality expert assistance. CAES is committed to funding that expert relationship to the extent possible, subject to the following priorities:
ABEL RUSS, CAES DIRECTOR
Lauren Fleer, P.E., Environmental Engineer
Lauren works as a staff engineer for the Center for Applied Environmental Science (CAES) and with EIP’s Texas Oil & Gas Program. Prior to joining EIP, she managed soil and groundwater remediation projects for the US Army Corps of Engineers. Lauren holds a M.S. in Environmental Engineering and Science from Northwestern University and a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Steven Carbó is a social justice advocate and attorney who works with private foundations, nonprofit organizations, policy experts, policymakers and other public officials to advance progressive policy change. He launched and directed the Democracy Program at Demos and at the Center for Popular Democracy, and worked as Legislative Director for U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Special Counsel on Environmental Justice for U.S. Rep. José Serrano, and Legislative Staff Attorney with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Carbó’s efforts in support of historically marginalized communities led to the enactment of Same Day Registration in six states and the District of Columbia, restoration of the vote to tens of thousands of formerly incarcerated individuals, renewed voter registration services at municipal agencies in New York City, and a vast expansion of bilingual voting requirements. He currently works with the Rockefeller Family Fund and the Funder Collaborative on Oil and Gas, where he supports climate justice campaigns in the Ohio River Valley, Eastern PA, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico. He holds a B.A. and J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.