Sierra Club

Long before it became a federal holiday, Juneteenth lived in Black memory, Black prayer, Black churches, Black parks, Black family reunions, and Black joy. It is more than a celebration of emancipation—it is a demand that we tell the truth about who built this country, who continues to shape it, and why protecting Black freedom strengthens democracy for everyone.

Environmental justice is not separate from democracy. Communities cannot protect their air, water, land, or health if they are denied political power, stripped of historical truth, or pushed out of public decision-making. That is why Juneteenth belongs in environmental work. Because freedom has a geography. It lives in our lungs, our water, our neighborhoods, our stories, and our shared future.

Truth matters. Help us spread it. Wishing you a happy and meaningful .

While data centers, in their current form, are relatively new, the environmental toll is becoming clearer every day. They suck up municipal drinking water, create emissions through the use of generators, and are often incongruous with the surrounding areas where they're placed. Now, there's another factor that makes these huge buildings problematic: PFAS or forever chemicals, which are used to help cool the computers.

✍️ Tom Cassauwers
📸 High-voltage transmission lines provide electricity to data centers in Ashburn, Loudoun County, Virginia. | Photo by Ted Shaffrey/AP
🔗 https://bit.ly/4owwi5C

Our clean water is at risk. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has started to further limit which waters are protected by the Clean Water Act, putting many important streams and wetlands at risk. This is a giveaway to developers and corporate polluters, who have been trying to weaken the Clean Water Act for years.

The administration will be opening a comment period soon on its final "Waters of the United States" Rule. We must speak up and tell the EPA that we need to strengthen, not weaken, protections for clean water. Send your comment now.

https://sc.org/ProtectCleanWater

Hear from Sierra Club staff and Julian Gonzales from Earthjustice as we discuss the impacts from the Sackett v EPA Supreme Court decision and updates on federal and state responses and opportunities. Co-hosted with the Clean Water for All Coalition.

📅 WHAT: What's Next for Waters of the United States?
📌 WHERE: Online — join from wherever you are!
🕠 WHEN: Wednesday, June 17 at 4 pm PT / 7 pm ET
👉 HOW: RSVP to save your spot and receive the invite link

https://sc.org/WaterWebinar

With everything happening at the White House this weekend, we’re taking a moment to think about other presidents’ relationships with public lands. While many had complicated policies and legacies, most presidents have shown some level of respect for our most iconic places and wanted to protect them for future generations.

The White House and its lawn is a National Park, managed by the National Park Service. While access to it is restricted, the grounds and lawn are supposed to be protected for the public good. This president has paved over the Rose Garden and is hosting UFC fights on the South Lawn. What do you think — does this president care at all about our public lands?

Help speak up for protecting our public lands right now: sc.org/roadlessrule 🚨🚨🚨