U.S. Attorney Dena J. King Appoints Environmental Justice Coordinator for Western District of North Carolina

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In a move aimed at enhancing the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts to secure environmental justice for all Americans, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King has selected Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Caroline McLean of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville to serve as the Western District’s Environmental Justice Coordinator.

On May 5, 2022, the U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a series of actions aimed at enhancing the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts to secure environmental justice for all Americans. In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted specific actions to strengthen the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to ensuring equal justice under the law by advancing the cause of environmental justice.

"Although violations of our environmental laws can happen anywhere, communities of color, indigenous communities, and low-income communities often bear the brunt of the harm caused by environmental crime, pollution, and climate change," said Attorney General Garland. "For far too long, these communities have faced barriers to accessing the justice they deserve. The Office of Environmental Justice will serve as the central hub for our efforts to advance our comprehensive environmental justice enforcement strategy. We will prioritize the cases that will have the greatest impact on the communities most overburdened by environmental harm."

Attorney General Garland also directed U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the nation to designate an Environmental Justice Coordinator (EJC). As the Western District’s EJC, AUSA McLean will be responsible for developing and overseeing the Office’s environmental justice enforcement strategy; serve as legal counsel on matters related to environmental justice; prosecute criminal and civil environmental justice cases; and conduct public outreach and awareness activities related to environmental justice.

AUSA McLean joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in August 2018 and serves in the Office’s Civil Division in Asheville. AUSA McLean is responsible for handling civil defensive litigation in federal and state court, and affirmative civil enforcement cases on behalf of the United States. She is also a member of the Office’s recently-formed Civil Rights Team.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King said, "AUSA Caroline McLean is an experienced federal prosecutor dedicated to serving the people of the Western District of North Carolina. As my Office’s Environmental Justice Coordinator, AUSA McLean will work closely with local, state and federal agencies, and stakeholders within the community to address concerns related to environmental justice, using all available legal tools to promote justice for communities historically harmed by environmental violations."

Defendant: United States Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Environmental Justice Violations, North Carolina 2022

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