Environmental Covenants in the United States

Introduction to Environmental Covenants

NIMBY

Acronym for “Not In My Back Yard”.

NIMBY movements are true grass roots (the basic level of society or of an organization especially as viewed from higher or more centralized positions of power) efforts of like-minded residents of an area who seek to maintain the status quo (e.g. a healthy environment in which to live and raise children) by opposing the development of nearby land (especially for a polluting industry). NIMBY movements are often attacked by corporations with SLAPP suits (acronym for “Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation”; a lawsuit without merit filed to intimidate individuals that speak out or raise issues contrary to the interests of some powerful corporations).

For Earl A. Killian, a “frequent criticism of NIMBY movements is that they don’t get the big picture, which is true, but not in the way the industry means. The industry means to threaten that if everyone opposed industry in their backyard, there would be no industry. The truth is that if everyone opposed pollution in their backyard, there would be industry without pollution. NIMBY movements do however miss the big picture in that they only oppose pollution in their back yards, and not everywhere. NIMBY movements are also criticized by industry for using pollution concerns as a screen for their real concern about property values. This may be true in a few cases. Still on the whole they are a very positive force.”

Resources

Further Reading

• Information about Environmental Covenants in the Gale Encyclopedia of American Law.