CHEJ is the only national environmental organization founded and led by grassroots leaders. After winning the federal relocation of residents victimized by toxic waste at Love Canal, Lois Gibbs and other local activists were inundated with calls from people around the country who were facing similar threats and wanted help. CHEJ was founded in 1981 to address this need.



CHEJ believes in environmental justice, the principle that people have the right to a clean and healthy environment regardless of their race or economic standing. Our experience has shown that the most effective way to win environmental justice is from the bottom up through community organizing and empowerment. When local citizens come together and take an organized, unified stand, they can hold industry and government accountable and work towards a healthy, environmentally sustainable future.



This is democracy at its most vital, and CHEJ`s mission is to give people the tools they need to bring it about. We carry out this mission by providing people with technical information and the training to use this information to organize to fight for their rights. Lois’ experiences with Love Canal inspired her to found in 1981 what was then called the Citizens Clearinghouse for Hazardous Waste [CCHW]. Today, as the Center for Health Environment and Justice, organizing and community empowerment continue to be at the core of the organization’s mission.



CHEJ Purpose/Mission



To empower grassroots community people to organize into

collective active, ongoing democratic forces for:

* Ensuring that our communities are free from environmental threats to human health; and,

* Curtailing the power of polluters.



Core Strategic Approach



Strengthening and empowering local groups to be ongoing, active, democratic forces in their communities through:

* Direct organizing, providing technical and scientific assistance and through strengthening the ability of state, regional and national groups to assist local groups; and,

* Catalyzing, organizing and facilitating grassroots groups joining together at the local, regional, state or national level in collaborative, coordinated or coalitional efforts that will enable them to better address their local issues.