SELC Reports

Reducing Runoff from New Development in Charlottesville: (February 2008; pdf; 19 pages); SELC and two partner groups have published a report detailing recommendations to the City of Charlottesville for reducing polluted stormwater runoff from new development. The report was produced in conjunction with the Rivanna Conservation Society and the Environmental Law and Conservation Clinic at the University of Virginia Law School.

New Directions: Land Use, Transportation and Climate Change in Virginia: (December 2007; pdf; 36 pages); Virginia is being rapidly transformed. Our abundant natural resources, beautiful landscapes, bountiful farmland, vibrant communities and wealth of historic and cultural resources provide an outstanding quality of life - all of which have helped drive the tremendous growth that is reshaping the Commonwealth, and not all for the good. Sprawling development and asphalt-centered transportation policies are steering Virginia toward dire consequences - yet it's not too late to change course. In this report, SELC's Trip Pollard examines multiple trends and offers a host of steps that can be taken to address the problems.

Connections and Choices: Affordable Housing and Smarter Growth in the Greater Richmond Area: (September 25, 2007; pdf; 56 pages); For better or for worse, the Richmond region is rapidly expanding. This report explores the enormous economic, health, environmental, and social impacts of the housing, land development, and transportation trends transforming the Greater Richmond Area. Written by SELC’s Trip Pollard and the Virginia Local Initiatives Support Corporation’s Frances Stanley, the report presents a fresh look at growth trends and impacts while providing alternatives to these crucial issues.
: Clean Air for the Carolinas - Charlotte Area Update
(May 2007; pdf, 4 pages): As we enter the 2007 ozone season, this update to our 2005 report takes stock of the Charlotte area's progress toward cleaning up its air, with a focus on ozone (smog) and fine particle pollution (soot or “PM2.5”). Two years later, is the Charlotte area on track to meet the nonattainment challenge? The short answer is: yes and no. Although state and regional smokestack pollution cuts will continue to benefit the Charlotte area, much stronger measures are needed at the local level to further reduce vehicle pollution, the largest and fastest-growing share of the area’s smog problem.

Alabama Water Agenda - Guiding the way to healthy waters: (January 2007; pdf; 16 pages); SELC and the Alabama Rivers Alliance identify the six most urgent threats to Alabama's rivers, wetlands, groundwater and coastal waters, and provide a blueprint for restoring and protecting these critical resources. The agenda was developed with the input of dozens of grassroots groups, and is a call to action to state leaders and all Alabamians to put in place the policies and regulations that will ensure pure and plentiful water throughout the state.

Too much of a good thing? Retail overload in Albemarle County, Virginia: (May 1, 2006; pdf, 19 pages); SELC's report provides the first comprehensive look at retail trends, past and future, in Albemarle County. The report shows that the county already has approved roughly three times more 'big box' shopping centers and other retail space than its own consultants say can be reasonably absorbed. The report offers a number of recommendations to curb the impacts of the potential growth.

A Call to Action for Clean Air: A report of the Georgia Air Coalition: (April, 2006; pdf, 20 pages); With well over half of Georgia's population now breathing unhealthy air, The Georgia Air Coalition - a coalition of environmental groups, public health groups and citizens of which SELC is a part - issued a call to action to provide clean air for all Georgians. A Call to Action for Clean Air sets forth a series of recommendations designed to reduce pollution at its sources - tailpipes and smokestacks.

Clean Air for the Carolinas: (2004-2005); The Southern Environmental Law Center has published Action Agendas in the five metro areas of the Carolinas currently in violation of federal pollution standards. These reports provide a "report card" on current efforts to clean the air in the regions, and a "roadmap" that citizens, businesses and local officials can use to achieve clean air while enhancing the overall quality of life in their communities.
Charlotte Area(pdf, 32 pages)
Triangle Area(pdf, 32 pages)
Triad Area(pdf, 32 pages)
Upstate Region(pdf, 32 pages)
Columbia, SC Area(pdf, 32 pages)

Smart Mobility Report: Comments on the Manassas Battlefield Park Bypass Study Draft EIS: (June 2005; pdf, 71 pages); This report provides an analysis of the DEIS for the Manassas Battlefield Park Bypass. SELC and our partners believe that the single best solution to address traffic problems in this area is to pursue more sensible development policies.

Smart Mobility Report: Review of Tri-County Parkway Location Study: (June 2005; pdf, 45 pages); This report provides an analysis of the DEIS for the proposed Tri-County Parkway. SELC and our partners believe that the single best solution to address traffic problems in this area is to pursue more sensible development policies.

Virginia's PPTA: An Analysis of the Evolution of the Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995: (January 2005; pdf, 39pages); SELC has conducted the first comprehensive analysis of a 1995 law that allows private entities to build transportation projects in the Commonwealth. The report shows that taxpayers are still on the line for many project costs, and the driving public is paying the rest through tolls.

Roadless Areas of the Southern Appalachians: What we've lost and what we stand to lose: (May 2004; pdf, 16 pages); More than 555,000 acres of the most rugged and beautiful mountain forests in the Southern Appalachians vulnerable to logging and roadbuilding without the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. This joint report by SELC and three forest advocacy groups profiles several of these areas.

At Risk: South Carolina's "Isolated" Wetlands: (December 2003; pdf, 18 pages); A comprehensive report detailing the value of South Carolina's "isolated" wetlands, historic trends in loss of wetlands, and a review of the current federal and state regulatory framework.

Where Are We Growing? Land Use and Transportation in the Greater Richmond Region: (November 2003; pdf, 40 pages); A compilation and analysis of population, transportation and land use trends and impacts, including the loss of open space and farmland and the rising tax burden of sprawl, and an examination of alternative ways to grow.

Georgia's Marsh Hammocks: A biological survey: (September 2003; pdf, 24 pages); SELC releases results of first-ever biological survey of Georgia's marsh hammocks. Volunteer scientists conducted a series of three "bioblasts" in the Fall of 2001 and Spring and Fall of 2002.

840 South: Flawed Decisions and Promising Opportunities: (April 2003; pdf, 30 pages); SELC examines the full range of issues involved with this outer beltway around Nashville, which has been dubbed one of the worst highway projects ever undertaken in the South.

Where Are We Growing?: Land Use and Transportation in Virginia: (July, 2002; pdf, 43 pages); This report examines the impacts of changes in population, land use and transportation in Virginia, and explores alternative ways of growing.

Power That Pollutes: Closing the Loophole on Outdated Power Plant: (September 2001; pdf, 35 pages); Prepared jointly by SELC, the Izaak Walton League of America, and the National Parks Conservation Association, this updated 2001 edition details the disproportionate contributions of grandfathered coal-burning power plants to air pollution in Virginia.

Where Are We Growing?: Land Use and Transportation in Middle Tennessee: (May, 2001; pdf, 33 pages); Prepared by SELC's Trip Pollard and Bruce Appleyard, this report examines changes in population, land use, and transportation in the 10-county Middle Tennessee region surrounding Nashville. It discusses the impacts of current trends and explores new directions being taken.

Improving Charlottesville Transportation: Route 29 and Hydraulic Road: (March 2001; pdf, 24 pages); This report was prepared for SELC by Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin Lopez Rinehart Inc. It recommends construction of a grade-separated intersection at Rt. 29 and Hydraulic Road to relieve congestion, improve traffic flow on local streets and enhance overall access to commercial sites in the area.

Smart Growth in the Southeast: New Approaches for Guiding Development: (1999; pdf, 44 pages); SELC and the Environmental Law Institute examine the multiple trends affecting growth in the South, and give case examples of "smart growth" solutions now underway in many communities.

Beyond Asphalt: Creating a Better Transportation Future for Virginia: (January 1999; pdf, 34 pages)

People, Pigs and Politics: Cleaning up the Hog Industry in North Carolina: (March 1998; 19-minute video; call to request a copy)