NEW!: Golden Gate University's ELS Writes Letter to Bush Administration & Members of Congress about environmental justice and global warming! Asks law students and ELSs to comment and sign on.

To sign on to the letter, click here to contact Ida Martinac or Click here to read the letter!

HELP OUT WITH HURRICANE KATRINA RECOVERY

The devestation of Hurricane Katrina has left many dead and thousands homeless, and possessionless.

In the short-term, the area desperately needs money to save lives and clean up the mess. Many are sending donations to the Red Cross to help those in need, and NAELS encourages you to give your support through the Red Cross or your charity of choice.

In the long-term, the area desperately needs innovative, young champions to rebuild a once thriving area of the country. Tomorrow's leaders need to rebuild the region's infrastructure, economy, and ecosystems. In some places this will require constructing entirely new cities. Tomorrow's leaders also need to do all they can to lower the risk of this happening again, and to be more prepared if it does.

Hurricane Katrina has left many of these young leaders in the area without homes, resources, or access to educational facilities. Louisiana is in total organized confusion. The legal educational systems of Tulane and Loyola have closed through January. Southern and LSU as well as other law schools around the nation have accepted displaced students into their schools. In addition, those students that commuted from New Orleans to Southern and LSU have enrolled into other schools across the nation. There are also a number of environmental issues that have risen and will arise from this catastrophe.

In response, NAELS will work with the Environmental Law Society at Southern U and with other regional groups to support these young leaders as they look to continue their important work and training and find solutions. Students are looking for books and other law school resources, opportunities to supplement what they have lost, and support and guidance for their work. If you would like to help, please click here to e-mail Temica Dukes, a member of the NAELS Governing Board from Southern U.