About SELP
The State Environmental Leadership Program (SELP) started in 1988 as an informal conference of Executive Directors from 19 state environmental councils. SELP is now a nationwide network of over 50 independent, nonprofit, public interest, multi-issue environmental advocacy organizations that work to affect strong state environmental protection policies.
SELP was created to help build long-lasting and effective state environmental advocacy movements. Strong state environmental advocacy movements are increasingly essential due to the continuing trend of delegating environmental protection responsibilities from the federal government to state legislatures and environmental agencies. As of 1998, the Environmental Protection Agency had delegated 757 federal environmental programs from the federal government to the states, an increase of 323 (nearly 75%) from five years prior. And, in this year alone, several thousand bills will be introduced in state legislatures that could impact the quality of our water, air, wildlife habitat, and public health. Effective state environmental protection policies will only be achieved in these increasingly burdened state governments with the efforts of increasingly vigilant state environmental advocacy movements.
Via SELP's annual conference, regional capacity building meetings, list-serves and multi-state campaign, SELP member groups have been able to share information and strategic advice on organizational management and policy initiatives. They have been able to identify anti-environmental trends - such as environmental audit privilege - and participate in strategic discussions about effective reactions to such trends. In many cases, one state organization's experience with, and expertise on a particular issue has given another state organization a head-start in tackling the issue as it emerged in their state. SELP also provides group and individual organizational capacity building opportunities to its member groups via the annual conference, regional capacity building meetings, and a peer mentoring program.
Membership in SELP is reserved for groups that meet SELP's membership criteria and responsibilities. Benefits include access to training and mentoring, attendance at the annual conference, policy and strategy networking with other member organizations on select state environmental issues, and an opportunity to participate in SELP's multi-state campaigns.The State Environmental Leadership Program was formerly a program of the Environmental Support Center (ESC). The mission of the Environmental Support Center is to promote the quality of the natural environment, human health, and community sustainability by increasing the organizational effectiveness of local, state, and regional organizations working on environmental issues and for environmental justice.