One year of Trump

Over the past year, we worked together to face unprecedented attacks on our environment from the Trump administration. And while the challenges were daunting, something even stronger carried us forward: our shared commitment to protect the things that matter most to our communities and our region.

As we mark the one-year anniversary of Trump taking office, that commitment is more important than ever. This administration has accelerated efforts to dismantle the bedrock environmental protections that keep our air breathable, our water safe to drink, and our communities healthy. The consequences of these actions are showing up in the places we live and the lives we lead. 

Together, we are meeting this moment head-on. We are fighting against harmful policies, defending clean air and water, advancing climate solutions, demanding environmental justice, and protecting the wild places and wildlife that define the South. 

Because clean air, safe water, climate action, protected wild places and wildlife aren’t political – they are fundamental.

Over the last year, as federal actions threatened our environment, we closely tracked each move and translated it into immediate response.

• When clean air and water protections were threatened to be weakened or enforcement faltered, we stepped in working alongside communities to hold polluters accountable, enforce the law in court, and protect public health where people live.
• When climate and environmental justice funding faced freezes and rollbacks, we challenged those actions through litigation and representing clients experiencing the real-world harm in their communities these funds were meant to address. 
• When access to critical environmental data was threatened, we acted to keep information public and accessible so communities and decision-makers could make informed decisions. 
• And when long-standing safeguards for public lands and wildlife, like the Roadless Rule and Endangered Species Act were targeted, we mobilized legal expertise and public engagement to defend our irreplaceable wildlife and wild places. 

Thank you for standing with us in the courtroom, in the halls of government, and in the communities we serve. 

With four decades of experience and more than 130 legal and policy experts, we’ve been able to lay the groundwork of progress for this moment. As federal rollbacks accelerate, we will continue to stand up for the environment we all need to thrive. 

Even as the challenges have intensified, something equally powerful has emerged: people showing up again and again for their communities, their environment, and their future. The last year tested our environment, our region, and many of us personally. Yet through every challenge, one truth held steady: When we work together, we make progress. 

At SELC, we say: Solutions start in the South. And looking ahead, one thing is certain they start with you, and they will keep moving forward because of it.