Crag Law Center

Crag Law Center provides legal services to conservation organizations, community groups & communities working on environmental issues. Over the past 23 years, Crag has provided services to over one hundred organizations working in the public interest. Legal services focus on protection of the wild, communities & the climate. These services were provided for free, at below market rates &/or on a contingency basis to the community. Crag services include assistance with bringing litigation in state & federal courts, with mediation & settlement of complex natural resource disputes, & with public education. Crag also provides legal assistance in non-profit formation, management & outreach for non-profits working in the public interest. Crag also works with other non-profit organizations to hold public events including screenings of films that address various environmental issues. These events help to educate communities about environmental issues & the legal tools that can be used to address these issues. Crag's 2023 cases litigated or in litigation were where fees were recovered: (1) conservation northwest - represent group challenging rezone to development at snoqualmie pass. Public benefit: protect habitat in critical watershed and migration corridor. Fee income: $6,728 (2) edf - represent groups defending Oregon's climate protection program rules. Public benefit: advance climate change mitigation efforts and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Fee income: $5,056 (3) klamath forest alliance - represent groups challenging logging proposal on federal forest land. Public benefit: protect threatened northern spotted owls and their habitat. Fee income $5,000.00 (4) conservation angler - represent groups enforcing water quality laws for fish hatchery operations on the mckenzie river. Public benefit: protecting water quality and supporting native fish recovery. Fee income $4,732.50 (5) waterwatch of Oregon - represented organziations defending the Oregon water resources department's denial of a limited license for water for the proposed thornburg destination resort in the water limited deschutes river basin. Public benefit: protect water resources. Fee income $1,522.50 (6) central Oregon landwatch: represent group in a challenge to the habitat conservation plan for water irrigation projects in the deschutes river basin. Public benefit: protecting habitat for native fish & amphibians. Fee income $1,065.00. Crag's work also included non-litigation services which generated $80,712 in fee income at well below market rates: (1) nez perce tribe -represent tribe in natural resource damage assessment & clean up for the portland harbor superfund site. Public benefit: protection of environmental resources in the lower willamette river. (2) pew charitable trusts - provided research and analysis of Oregon state and local tribal consultation and cultural resource protection policies. Public benefit: evaluating state laws for potential improvement in area of state-tribal relations and cultural resource protection. (3) sierra club Washington chapter - support community engagement in water rights management on icicle creek. Pubic benefit: protection of wilderness area and alpine lakes. (4) cowlitz tribe - support tribe in reviewing dam management on lewis river. Public benefit: improve fish passage and support native fish recovery. Crag also provided legal services for free on issues & for a wide range of individuals & groups including: (1) climate - work with public interest organizations, environmental justice & community groups to research, develop & engage in climate policy at the state & local level. Public benefit: support policies to promote a sustainable climate & climate resiliency in impacted communities. (2) public lands defense - advise public interest organizations on policy changes proposed for public lands & support community-based efforts to understand the impacts of wildfire on the landscape. Public benefit: public outreach & education to better understand wildfire & develop sound policy responses for land managers that protect communities, water supplies, wildlife & forested ecosystems. (3) consultation on conservation issues & policy guidance for various clients - public benefit: working with clients on collaborative & creative options for protecting Oregon's natural resources, including its air, water & public health. (4) fossil fuel infrastructure - represent public interest organizations to challenge new or expanded fossil fuel infrastructure proposals. Public benefit: protecting air quality & preventing further fossil fuel development. (5) protecting farmland - work with groups including thrive hood river and 1000 friends of Oregon to uphold land use laws. Public benefit: protecting farmland and forest lands from urbanization, preserving local food security. (6) native fish recovery - represent organizations including Center for biological diversity and waterwatch of Oregon to enforce environmental laws and challenge state agency action allowing logging and dam enforcement. Public benefit: protect and restore habitat for threatened Oregon coast coho salmon and other native fish. (7) environmental justice - work with beyond toxics, verde, and other organizations to improve state and federal implementation of environmental justice policies, support enforcement of water quality & hazardous waste laws. Public benefit: protecting public health & water quality. (8) coastal access and ecosystem protection - represent Oregon shores conservation coalition in a variety of legal forums in order to protect coastal wetlands, streams & forests from the harmful effects of development. Public benefit: enforcing state land use laws & clean water act provisions for impacts to wetlands & streams from development activities in coastal communities.