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Patrick Anderson 

Senior Attorney

Patrick is based in the Atlanta office and works throughout the SELC region to support the Air Team. He focuses on ensuring that industrial polluters reduce their harmful air emissions as much as possible under the Clean Air Act. Especially with an eye towards overburdened southern communities, Patrick crafts legal and technical comments on proposed air permits to make sure new and existing industrial plants follow the law. When facilities do emit excess pollution or otherwise violate the Clean Air Act, Patrick stays prepared to bring the necessary enforcement action to stop the violations. 

“I was thrilled to join SELC to help bring new focus to air pollution problems in our states,” Patrick said. “I worked closely with SELC for many years before joining the staff and I’m honored to join SELC’s dedicated and accomplished team to continue the good fight.” 

In his previous work with Keri Powell, who leads SELC’s Air Team, Patrick represented environmental nonprofits nationwide fighting for clean air and stronger air permits. Working as of counsel for Environmental Integrity Project, he successfully campaigned to clean up the booming biomass industry in the Southeast, reigning in its harmful emissions.   

Patrick is most proud of SELC’s role in quickly stopping a proposal for a highly toxic fumigation facility on Georgia’s coast. “When an enormous timber company wanted to begin operating one of the nation’s largest emitters of a highly toxic pesticide, I demonstrated the facility would not be permitted in neighboring Southern states because of the health impacts,” he said. “This, along with community advocacy from SELC’s wonderful partners, resulted in the company canceling their plans.” 

As a climber and amateur geologist who grew up at the foot of Pikes Peak in Colorado, Patrick’s favorite place in the SELC region is the sandstone boulder fields of Pigeon Mountain in north Georgia. “I love crisp winter days exploring the maze of boulders and cliffs amongst the hardwood forest,” he said. 

  • Former Associate Attorney, Powell Environmental Law
  • Georgia State University College of Law, magna cum laude,
  • B.F.A., The School of the Art Institute of Chicago