Environmental Legal Aid Program:

OFFERING FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO RESIDENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY

Northern Lake County Indiana lies along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, is crossed by the Grand Calumet and Little Calumet rivers, and is dotted with wetlands in a dune and swale ecosystem that is globally rare. Over the past 125+ years, this region has also been home to heavy industry and the infrastructure to serve it – including roads, railways, pipelines, and shipping ports along Lake Michigan. Some of these industries have not always been good neighbors, polluting the air, streams, and land, and leaving behind toxic residues in soil and groundwater. The abuse of this pristine land has been so extensive and long-term that northern Lake County has developed a reputation as a dumping ground – a sacrifice zone for the most heavily-polluting industries. While even the dirtiest industry may create jobs, it can hardly justify the cumulative effects of all this pollution on the health of the more than 175,000 Hoosiers who call the Region their home.

The Conservation Law Center seeks to serve local residents who want to improve the environment of northern Lake County. Our mission is to assist residents in making positive change in their community – to be their lawyer, not their leader. We do this by providing information about state and federal laws, connect them with resources where they can learn about air and water quality, and answer questions about specific facilities. For individuals or groups with a specific environmental concern with a legal connection, we will enter into an attorney-client relationship to represent them in negotiations and, if necessary, litigation. If you live in northern Lake County and you have been trying to get answers or even to be heard, we may be able to help.

ONGOING CASES & PROJECTS:

  • Submitted comments on draft regulations proposed by the Indiana Department of Environmental Protection (“IDEM”) to calculate civil penalties for violations.

  • Represented Gary residents in their efforts to improve the transparency of the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission.

  • Continuing to represent Gary residents challenging an air permit issued by IDEM to allow Fulcrum Centerpoint to operate a 1650 ton/day waste-to-energy plant.

  • Met with a company and a local resident to learn about efforts to reduce water pollution in Whiting.

  • Met with a company and local residents in Gary to discuss concerns with the facility and means to improve its stormwater management and street appearance.

 

If you have information or questions about environmental concerns in northern Lake County, contact Mike Zoeller at mjzoelle@iu.edu or call at (812) 856-4223.