GreenLaw Executive Director Justine Thompson informed her organization’s newsletter subscribers today that she’s leaving the nonprofit environmental law firm this spring to move to Florida.
That’s a blow to coal plant opponents in Georgia. An honors grad from Duke Law School and formidable litigator, Thompson led GreenLaw in its successful, decade-long fight against the proposed Longleaf power plant in southwest Georgia and in its ongoing opposition to two coal plants still being pushed in Ben Hill and Washington counties.
“This spring,” Thompson writes, “I will be stepping down as Director and heading south to Florida. It is with mixed feelings that I report this news. I am excited to begin my new life where I can be with my family, but will sorely miss being here surrounded by the inspiring individuals who work tirelessly to protect Georgia’s natural resources.”
Although Thompson’s from San Francisco, Patrick Cowan (“the love of my life”) lives in Orlando, she wrote to me in a separate e-mail.
Among other successful battles, Thompson played a role in:
• requiring Georgia Power to build a $50 million cooling tower to stop heated discharge that was causing fish kills in Lake Sinclair;
• stopping particulate pollution from grain dust from falling on playgrounds and homes in the Newtown Community in Gainesville;
• blocking a 1,000-acre landfill that was opposed by residents of Taliaferro County.
In a followup email to me a few minutes ago, however, Thompson cited her role in beating the back the Longleaf Energy Station as the capstone of her 12 years at GreenLaw. GreenLaw was forced not only to fight the LS Power but also to challenge the Georgia Environmental Protection Division over permits it issued for the plant. Last month, Longleaf’s owner, New Jersey-based LS Power finally threw in the towel, after 10 years of trying to build the plant.
“It was the biggest new pollution source proposed in Georgia for decades, would have emitted CO2 the equivalent of 1.5 million new automobiles on the road travelling 12K annually, and it was the longest coal plant battle in the nation,” she wrote. “It also resulted in a decision that literally was reported around the world (India, the BBC, etc.).”
Thompson says she plans to leave in April. Meanwhile, if there are any smart, tough, organized, personable, energetic, experienced environmental lawyers eager to fill Thompson’s shoes, they’re welcome to apply for her job. Here’s a link to the job announcement.
