Charlie Tebbutt

Not all heroes wear shoes. That is the case with our first guest Charlie Tebbutt, a pioneering environmental lawyer who has spent decades suing corporations across over half of the country, defending citizens directly impacted by industrial pollution. Charlie shares his journey from activist to litigator and the value of standing up and standing out. In conversation with our host, Ashley Lukens, this episode highlights law as an avenue for social change, resilience in the face of corrupt systems, the link between human rights and environmental rights, and how an action as simple as taking a picture can support legal activism. Charlie’s office assists communities, organizations, tribes, unions and individuals across the United States in protecting themselves and their members from industrial pollution and chemical injury. Through litigation, negotiation, and grassroots campaign building, Charlie helps his clients enforce our nation’s environmental laws and hold polluters and regulatory agencies accountable. He has worked on “waters of the U.S.” protection issues throughout his career, including cases such as Northern California River Watch v City of Healdsburg, CARE v Henry Bosma Dairies, National Cotton Council v EPA, Center for Biological Diversity v BP, and an amicus brief to the Supreme Court on behalf of Western organizations in Rapanos v U.S. During his more than 30-year career at the Western Environmental Law Center, the Atlantic States Legal Foundation, and in private practice, Charlie has brought citizen suit and toxic tort cases concerning pollution and chemical exposure against scores of Fortune 500 companies in 30 states. Charlie has litigated cases involving the Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and Clean Air Act (as well as NEPA, FIFRA, CERCLA, EPCRA, and FOIA). Recent cases include Kupale Ookala and Center for Food Safety v Big Island Dairy (Hawaii) and Center for Biological Diversity, et al. v De Santis (Piney Point, Florida). Resources: Vatican Encyclical Letter by Pope Francis - On Care for our Common Home Love Canal Times Beach Missouri Dark Waters (Movie) Erin Brockovich Summary of the Clean Air Act Summary of the Clean Water Act Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Law Offices of Charlie Tebbutt