2024-11-01T12:02:25-07:00 2023-12-31 454220136 Cindy Fulton CPA LLC 3270 Ivanhoe Ave St Louis MO 63139 990 2023-01-01 431943334 Great Rivers Environmental Law Center GREA 3142314181 319 N Fourth St Saint Louis MO 63102 Natalie Johnson Executive Director 3142314181 2024-05-08 true true Cindy Fulton P01066528 3146442700 2024-10-23 X 2023 2024-10-15 13:58:12Z Bruce Morrison 319 N 4thSte800 St Louis MO 63102 1059470 false X www.greatriverslaw.org X 2001 MO Legal services for environmental protection 18 18 8 68 0 0 557544 888213 13384 47906 -53219 14305 -12597 -8295 505112 942129 0 0 378892 357573 0 69391 118916 131844 497808 489417 7304 452712 1091755 1561850 80678 58001 1011077 1503849 Legal services for environmental protection false false 352866 0 47906 See Schedule O 352866 true true false false false false false false false false true false false false true false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false true 9 0 8 true false false false false false true true false false false false false false X 18 18 false false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true true false X X X Natalie Johnson 3142314181 319 N Fourth Ste 800 St Louis MO 63102 X Bruce Morrison Pres./Exec.director 40.00 X 76087 0 6087 Charles Bryson Board member 0.19 X 0 0 0 David Bohm Board member 0.58 X 0 0 0 Garrett Broshuis Board member 1.54 X 0 0 0 Melissa Greenstein Board member 0.48 X 0 0 0 Kay Drey Board member 0.00 X 0 0 0 Kathleen Henry Board member 0.67 X 0 0 0 Debbie Njai Board member 0.19 X 0 0 0 Cynthia Holmes Board member 0.46 X 0 0 0 Wallis Warren Board member 0.19 X 0 0 0 Richard Lageson Board chair 1.35 X X 0 0 0 Henry Robertson Board member 0.48 X 0 0 0 Steve Mahfood Secretary 0.77 X X 0 0 0 Rebecca Weaver Board member 0.48 X 0 0 0 Dhruv Mitroo Board member 0.48 X 0 0 0 Lauren Wood Board member 0.19 X 0 0 0 Sandy Rothschild Treasurer 0.67 X X 0 0 0 Ben Senturia Board member 1.73 X 0 0 0 Jim Wilson Board member 0.15 X 0 0 0 76087 0 6087 0 false false false 0 46964 841249 47125 888213 Legal fees - clients 541100 47906 0 0 47906 16089 0 16089 95829 97613 -1784 -1784 0 0 -1784 11433 46964 19728 -8295 0 -8295 942129 47906 0 6010 82759 66207 8276 8276 232941 167030 30142 35769 16769 12705 1273 2791 960 710 115 135 24144 17867 2897 3380 12486 0 12486 0 150 0 150 0 31 0 0 31 13690 4855 600 8235 18120 11074 1522 5524 31083 23001 3730 4352 3740 648 3092 0 2688 541 1514 633 3002 2180 822 0 Dues 2649 2645 0 4 Reference materials 9686 9686 0 0 Case-related costs 30655 30655 0 0 Other 3864 3062 541 261 489417 352866 67160 69391 3374 10955 494848 917879 139159 231438 44725 20897 5849 7225 3850 3850 0 0 364752 360320 39048 13136 1091755 1561850 40657 44541 40021 13460 80678 58001 X 814085 1125362 196992 378487 1011077 1503849 1091755 1561850 452712 40060 X false false false X 0 620531 400059 654541 557544 888213 3120888 0 0 620531 400059 654541 557544 888213 3120888 1381308 1739580 3147 4035 19475 6650 16089 49396 0 0 0 0 0 0 3170284 89592 0.54870 0.59650 X 0 0 0 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 0 0 3850 3850 0 0 Lease liability - office 13460 13460 Dinner 58397 46964 11433 1600 11764 650 5714 58397 46964 11433 1600 11764 650 5714 19728 -8295 X 3 47125 FMV date of transfer false false false Other Pt. 1, line 31 - We have not received this type of contribution to date. However, if one is offered in the future, a group comprised of the president, selected board members, and perhaps an outside consultant would be gathered to determine the appropriateness of accepting such a contribution. Pt VI, Line 11b The 990 draft was emailed to all board members for review. Each was requested to respond within the comment period with either an approval or with additions/revisions. Responses were then summarized and any changes forwarded to the tax return preparer for inclusion in the final version of the return. Pt VI, Line 12c Each board member and member of a committee with governing board-delegated powers annually signs a statement which affirms that the person: a. Has received a copy of the conflict of interest policy; b. Has read and understands the policy; c. Has agreed to comply with the policy; and d. Understands the Organization is a charitable one and, in order to maintain its federal tax exemption, it must engage primarily in activities which accomplish one or more of its tax-exempt purposes. In addition, every time the board discusses whether or not to accept a new case,the board members must disclose any interests that might give rise to a conflict. Pt VI, Line 15a During 2023 there were five attorneys who worked for Great Rivers. Bruce Morrison was general counsel. The other four were staff attorneys. The board members compare the salaries of the attorneys annually to similar positions in the St. Louis area and confirm that the attorneys chose to have lower salaries than the going rate for attorneys with their experience in small firms and with a specialized practice of environmental protection so more funds can be used for the program. Pt VII, Col (F) Great Rivers makes its governing documents, conflict of interest policy, audited financial statements, and 990s available to the public upon request. The audited statements and 990s are on its website. The 990s and other information can also be found on the Candid (formerly Guidestar) website. Other Pt.VII - line 1 - Officer of the Organization - Bruce Morrison, the President, was an officer of the Organization and also an employee. Missouri law allows employees to be officers of a not-for-profit organization. He is not paid for his officer duties nor is he a board member. Pt VI, Line 15b See the description above for Pt. VI, Line 15a Other Pt. XII, line 2a and 2c - The executive committee is responsible for monitoring the accounting processes and selecting who provides the accounting and auditing for the organization. The organization obtains an audit every other year. In the off years our CPA provides preparation engagement statements which are comparable to compiled statements. She completes a thorough review of the accounting transactions each year and consults with staff during the year about accounting and other business issues. She prepares our 990s. Other Pt. VIII, line 8c - On occasion there is a loss (fair market value of tickets and event revenue other than contributions less the total costs) on line 8 due to several reasons. Expenses for postage and printing of invitations and programs, costs of awards given, and other expenses are not part of the FMV of the ticket price so become expenses not offset by revenue on line 8 (after deducting the contribution portions.) Another reason is that its sometimes difficult to determine the FMV of a ticket. If the contributions from the event on line 1c of Pt. VIII are included with event revenue on line 8, the sponsorships, general contributions, and ticket prices in excess of FMV more than make up for the loss. Other Pt. III, line 4a - Statement of Program Accomplishments - I. CLIMATE AND ENERGY PROGRAM - Great Rivers works to address climate change by decreasing carbon emissions and encouraging cleaner energy. In 2023 Missouris electricity was among the most coal-intensive in the country, at 59%. Missouri ranks fourth, behind West Virginia, Wyoming, and Kentucky, for the highest share of in-state electricity net generation from coal. Almost no coal is mined (or oil or gas drilled) in Missouri, and we have good wind and solar potential. Our utilities coal-burning power plants are old and lack up-to-date pollution controls, which keeps them relatively cheap at the expense of the publics health and a stable climate. Great Rivers appears regularly before the Missouri Public Service Commission, the states utility regulator. Where environmental voices were never heard before, we represent traditional environmental advocates like Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council along with front-line social justice organizations like the Missouri NAACP, Dutchtown South Community Corporation, Homes for All, and Metropolitan Congregations United. Together, we advocate for more energy efficiency programs, more wind and solar generation, and for electrification of transportation. In 2023, we were before the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) on a variety of matters, pressing Missouris investor-owned utilities for change. These matters included: Advocating for early retirement of Amerens coal-fired power plants and increase reliance on solar and wind sources of energy generation in Amerens triennial IRP (PSC file No. EO-2024-0020); Advocating that Amerens efficiency plan be required to achieve higher energy savings comparable to what other utilities have been able to achieve (PSC file No.EO-2023-0136); and Advocating for wind energy transmission in Missouri in the Grain Belt Express matter (PSC file No. EA-2023-0017). We also represented homeowners living in a subdivision outside of Kansas City that applied to their homeowners association to install solar panels on their home rooftops, but their applications were denied because they planned to utilize street-facing rooftops as part of their solar array. II. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRAM - Great Rivers is committed to monitoring permitting actions that will unfairly burden minority, low-income communities. On behalf of clients across the State, Great Rivers evaluates proposed pollution sources to determine whether government authorities have unfairly targeted disadvantaged populations. Matters include those involving air pollution, solid and hazardous waste, safe drinking water, energy, and lead poisoning. In 2023, Food Scarcity - We continued to provide legal services to North St. Louis urban black farming organizations. Hyde Park - For Hyde Park Neighborhood Association (HPNA) we continued to represent the Association in a nuisance lawsuit brought to rectify the environmental nuisance brought to the neighborhood by 11 industrial properties affiliated with Shreves Automotive Plant. Coldwater Creek - We continued to help the St. Louis County NAACP execute its advocacy plan concerning radiation surrounding Coldwater Creek in north St. Louis County. NAACP Collaboration - Great Rivers continued to collaborate with the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, the NAACPs national office, and Missouri NAACP local branches on environmental justice matters, and Bruce continued his role as the Environmental and Climate Justice Committee Chair for the Missouri State Conference and the St. Louis County branch. III. SUSTAINABLE LANDS PROGRAM - Our sustainable lands program consists of assisting individuals, citizens groups and environmental organizations in their efforts to preserve and protect parks, open space, forests, and wilderness areas. In 2023 regarding the Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR) and the lawsuit brought by Shannon County against the National Park Service and L-A-D Foundation about roads and trails within the ONSR, we continued to defend scenic easements on L-A-D and Park Service lands. We provided transactional services to other organizations interested in protecting lands with conservation easements. We began defending a St. Louis County resident in a municipal proceeding brought against her because of her desire to place native Missouri plants in her yard. We also continued to help a community in Howell County, Missouri to organize and advocate over its concerns about water quality impacts to the Wild and Scenic Eleven Point River. IV. AIR QUALITY PROGRAM - Our Air Quality Program protects the regions air quality and reduces exposure to toxic pollutants. Ultimately, we seek a region where our children are healthy and free of asthma and other pollution-related ailments. Regarding U.S. EPAs investigation of our environmental complaint against the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), EPA is overseeing MDNRs implementation of a Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Public Participation Plan, which is designed to address MDNRs violations of Title VI LEP requirements and will require MDNR to more actively engage with non-English speaking communities. EPA is also working with MDNR to improve the agencys public outreach generally and, more specifically, through its permitting programs. In 2023, we continued our community air monitoring effort, and we collaborated with two others regarding their community air monitoring projects. We engaged the MDNR on a number of draft air pollution permits. We also began assisting a City of St. Louis community group over concerns about pollutants and odors in their community emanating from an across-river hazardous waste disposal facility. In 2023 we investigated how to ensure better enforcement of Missouris idling laws. We also began working with partner organizations and the cities of St. Louis and Kansas City to advocate in support of EPAs plan to impose more stringent controls on ozone pollution that is transported beyond state borders. This advocacy led to preparing an amicus brief in a case filed against EPA by the Missouri Attorney General. V. WATER QUALITY PROGRAM - On behalf of our clients, Great Rivers seeks to protect and preserve the waters of Missouri and surrounding states. Our water quality program begins with monitoring proposed federal, state and local actions that will adversely affect water quality. Great Rivers is frequently involved in matters that adversely impact water quality. This includes assisting environmental groups, citizens organizations and individuals in their legal challenges designed to protect the quality of the waters. In 2023, we continued to assist Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper (MCW) regarding water quality and coal ash. We worked with MCW to submit comments to EPA on (and oppose) an Ameren-requested extension to accept coal combustion waste on-site in an unlined pond. In Saint Genevieve County, for Sierra Club, we prevailed in a lawsuit against the MDNR over its NPDES (water) permit for Nexgen Silica, LCC to operate a silica sand mine. We highlighted potential effects on drinking water and groundwater, as the mine is likely to adversely affect the St. Francois Mountain Groundwater Province, which MDNR has classified as high risk and in need of protection. Across the River, on behalf of Sierra Club and Prairie Rivers Network, we continued to work on a matter before the Illinois Pollution Control Board regarding an NPDES permit issued to Pond Creek Mine. The permit issued for the mine is not sufficiently protective of the receiving streams or public health. We also served Sugar Camp Energy and its parent company with a notice of violation letter for violations of the Clean Water Act, RCRA and SMCRA resulting from the companys application of PFAS and toxic firefighting foam into a mine to extinguish a mine fire. After the State filed a Complaint in Illinois court, we intervened as Plaintiffs to assert interests in protecting the ecosystem and recreational resources of Akin Creek and the Big Muddy River. VI. WETLANDS AND FLOODPLAIN PROTECTION PROGRAM - On behalf of our clients, we challenge environmentally detrimental floodplain development and the over-engineering of rivers by means of levees and dams that destroy floodplains and aggravate flood risk. We monitor permit applications to dredge and fill wetlands. Great Rivers submits comments on proposals and assists environmental groups and individuals in their legal challenges to protect wetlands. These activities affect all of the people who inhabit and work in the watersheds of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers which drain major portions of the central and northwestern United States. In 2023, we continued to collaborate with partner organizations about unlawfully elevated levees. Several levee and drainage districts along the Mississippi River have elevated their levees without required approvals and without mitigating for increased flood heights caused by th