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Vibrant Environment offers insight and analysis on emerging environmental law and policy. Blogs are written by ELI staff, partners, and members, though ELI will occasionally accept guest posts. All analysis and opinions expressed are solely those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ELI, the organization, or its members.
For inquiries or to submit a blog, please contact the Blog Editor at [email protected].
In March 2025, Loudoun County, Virginia, stopped allowing new data centers by right in its industrial zones. Zoning code updates are hardly the flashiest area of public policy, but in the era of data center pushback, this update stands out: new data centers, in the county most associated with the U.S. data center boom, now need a special exception, which means a public hearing. Loudoun County residents have a formal opportunity to weigh in on all future data center project proposals.
It was just last year that the U.S. Supreme Court decided Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County. Since then, the Court’s decision has reverberated in every branch of government.
In two proclamations issued in July, President Trump once again acted to strip protections from Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Bear Ears National Monument.
Energy is increasingly at the center of some of the most consequential questions facing the country. The rapid growth of data centers is driving new electricity demand. And debates over energy costs, reliability, development, and environmental impacts are increasingly finding their way into state and federal courts.
This year, the Environmental Law Institute once again stepped up as a partner of Food Waste Prevention Week—an effort that includes over 700 partners across 49 states and 22 countries.
“Gold standard science” has been inserted into the lexicon of federal decisionmaking following a May 2025 Executive Order. And state legislators have introduced, and in some cases passed, “sound science” bills in statehouses across the country. While both phrases have rhetorical appeal, their practical implications warrant scrutiny. Together, these developments could weaken federal environmental protections while limiting state agencies’ abilities to fill the gaps.
Sixty years ago, during the height of the Vietnam War, the United States conducted a series of covert missions over the Ho Chi Minh trail which ran from North Vietnam through Laos a
As the world warms and existing mitigation and adaptation efforts fall short, some are advancing drastic measures with potential for unforeseen consequences at a global scale.
By Kate Steingraber, Ella Stack, Susannah Dibble, Carl Bruch, Alexis Rivera, and Eki Ramadhan
For years, including marginalized groups in environmental projects has been considered good practice, and there are increasing requirements both generally and for specific groups. A growing number of institutions have adopted policies mandating inclusion of women, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and other groups. At the same time, there are growing calls to streamline the process of designing and implementing environmental projects.
By Mara Pusic and Karishma GoswamiEnvironmental peacebuilding is at a pivotal moment. Rising geopolitical tensions, accelerating climate impacts, shifting political priorities in the Global North, and reduced capacity bilateral and multilateral institutions are reshaping both the challenges the field seeks to address and the opportunities to advance more just and sustainable approaches. As longstanding assumptions are tested, practitioners and researchers are exploring what priorities should guide the field moving forward.
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