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OEC Files Amicus Brief against Ohio’s Gerrymandered Congressional Maps [December, 2021]

COLUMBUS, OH — On December 13, 2021, the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) filed an amicus brief at the Ohio Supreme Court regarding congressional redistricting. The brief supports the two groups of plaintiffs suing the Ohio General Assembly over its gerrymandered, unconstitutional congressional maps, including the League of Women Voters of Ohio and the A. Philip Randolph Institute of Ohio. The brief explores the relationship between partisan gerrymandering and environmental injustices, specifically identifying sections of the map that unnecessarily divide communities disproportionately experiencing harm from pollution.

You can read the complete amicus brief here.

The following quote can be attributed, in whole or in part, to Chris Tavenor, Staff Attorney for the Ohio Environmental Council:

“We are proud to continue our fight for fair maps at the Ohio Supreme Court. Ohio can only have a healthy environment if it has a healthy democracy, and it’s of utmost importance that the Ohio Supreme Court sees that relationship when it considers the congressional gerrymandering cases before it. Ohioans deserve a congressional map that keeps communities of interest together. Ohioans deserve a map that gives them a voice, rather than enshrining partisan power. We believe the Supreme Court should overturn the Ohio General Assembly’s gerrymandered congressional map. The health of our communities and our environment depend on it.”