In 1982, Warren County was the poster-child for environmental injustice and documented racism. Today, Warren County is the powerful poster for a praiseworthy peoples' struggle that ended in victory." (Gary R. Grant & Nan Freeland, Co-chairs, North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, NCEJN)

The clean-up of the Warren County PCB landfill is a "victory" indeed! More clean-ups of toxic waste sites are needed in communities of color across the United States. Clean- up of landfills and brownfields moves us one step closer to achieving environmental justice for economically distressed communities. (Hazel Johnson, founder of People for Community Recovery, Chicago)

Warren County, the historic symbol of environmental racism in this country, has achieved finally a measure of justice. Congratulations to the residents who stayed the course of struggle for 22 years. This hard-fought victory strengthens our movement, and reaffirms the significance and power of grassroots commitment to achieving a healthy, safe environment. (Peggy M. Shepard, Executive Director, West Harlem Environmental Action and winner of the 2003 Heinz Award in Environment, New York)

Two decades is a long time to wait for justice. And it is no surprise that compensation to impacted residents was left off the table. We are still fighting for reparations for the injustice, cruelty, brutality and inhumanity of slavery and legalized discrimination in the United States from 1619 to the present day. (Dr. Mildred McClain, Citizens for Environmental Justice, Savannah, GA)

As Detroit grapples with the enormity of the more than 40,000 parcels of contaminated land that has deemed the entire city a brownfields site, I am hopeful that the tides of iniquity are turning in favor of our communities. Warren County's tenacious spirit encourages us to continue the fight in the Midwest for a cleaner, healthier community for us all, regardless of our race, ethnicity and income level. Hope is renewed. Justice does prevail. (Donele Wilkins, Executive Director, Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice)

The re-use of the land must be properly planned with the impacted Warren County residents seated at the head of the decision-making table. (Charlotte Keys, Jesus People Against Pollution, Columbia, MS)

The people of Warren County have suffered long and hard and organized for many years as they have confronted the unwanted poisoning of their community from PCB contamination. Their recent victory in getting government assistance to clean up and help rehabilitate their neighborhoods is the result of their steadfast determination to have a future free of toxic pollution and unsafe living conditions. The National Black Environmental Justice Network (NBEJN) applauds the people, organizations and leaders of Warren County for their courage and determination in the face of enormous odds. (Damu Smith, Executive Director, National Black Environmental Justice Network, Washington, DC)

The victory in Warren County is inspirational. The residents and advocates there have shown true determination and leadership in being able to stay true to their course in achieving environmental justice. After two-long decades of struggle they have achieved true victory. Moving forward the challenge continues to be for environmental justice advocates in North Carolina and nationwide to counter the regional decision-making processes that places a disproportionate number of the nation's hazardous waste landfills in or near communities of color. (Juliet Ellis, Executive Director, Urban Habitat Program, San Francisco)

The struggle in Warren County was the spark that lit that national Environmental Justice Movement in the 1980s -- let the victory in Warren County today be the catalyst for a rejuvenation of the Environmental Justice Movement in the 21st Century. Congratulations, and the struggle continues. (Luke Cole, Director, Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment, San Francisco)

Our handshake goes out to the community members of Warren County who demonstrated perseverance at the highest level - despite great odds - and who held the line of resistance in demanding federal and state cleanup of the toxic landfill. This act of duty to provide a better environment for future generations provides strength and hope to all other people of color and Native communities to continue our environment and economic justice struggle. (Tom Goldtooth, Executive Director, Indigenous Environmental Network, Bemidji, Minnesota)

Congratulations to the residents and activists of Warren County on their recent victory. A complete victory, or a 'just transition' to pre-1982 environmental conditions, would surely include financial reparations in the form of a local, state-of-the-art hospital to address any long-term health care needs resulting from the toxic landfill. (Dr. Jenice L. View of the Just Transition Alliance, Washington, DC)

The Warren County PCB landfill protest proved to be a most important event for the environmental justice movement in that it became the catalyst that galvanized people of color around this country in the fight for environmental justice. This victory stands as a testimony to the virtue of hard work and perseverance in our struggle for justice. This is a great victory for the people of Warren County whose tenacity in the face of adversity was unwavering. They stand as a beacon of hope for the ever so many environmental justice communities still on the battleground for justice. Add the Warren County bill to the long list of reparations payments that are also overdue. (Beverly Wright, Ph.D., Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice at Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans)

I am elated that progress was made in getting the Warren County PCB landfill cleaned up. However, I am equally saddened that there are hundreds of other black, brown, and red Warren Counties that are still waiting for environmental justice. (Monique Harden, Co-Director, Advocates for Environmental Justice, New Orleans)

Residents of contaminated communities must fight across generations to see a "clean up" of their site. And that is a major victory indeed. However, the prevailing notion in remediation that site remedy addresses the "problem" is underscored in Afton. More than a generation of local life has been completely disrupted, to the detriment of physical and psychological well-being. Until there is some serious effort to address the contaminated community, beyond the contaminated site, the injustice continues. (Dr. Michael R. Edelstein, Professor, Ramapo College of New Jersey, and author of “Contaminated Communities: Coping with Residential Toxic Exposure,” 2nd edition, Westview Press, 2003)

From the perspective of one who has often taken up the daunting task of engaging mainstream media to document the stories of environmental justice activists, I salute Warren County as the fork in the road that made the issue of environmental racism palatable and real. The tireless efforts of activists and residents of Warren County exposed the truth and assured that media and policymakers could no longer ignore our cause. (Gwen McKinney, CEO, McKinney & Associates, a firm that practices public relations with a conscience, Washington, DC)

I think this is wonderful news. I grew up in Vance County, North Carolina, an adjacent county to Warren County. My family was very involved with the development of Soul City and its politics. I became aware of Warren County's environmental justice issues while in college and it no doubt was a motivator of my involvement in the environmental justice movement. I am so happy that the affected people of that county have received some justice. (Dr. Dorothy L. Powell, Associate Dean of Nursing, Howard University)

The unparalleled tenacity of this courageous community in fighting the fight and keeping the faith cannot be measured. If every environmentally challenged community exhibited this measure of resolve, spirit, dedication, and heart environmental justice advocacy would be simple. (Grover G. Hankins, Attorney at Law, League City, Texas)

I was inspired by the Warren County struggle as a young graduate student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Warren County remains a textbook case of environmental racism. (Glenn S. Johnson, Ph.D., Associate professor. Environmental Justice Resource Center, Clark Atlanta University and author of “Sprawl City: Race, Politics and Planning in Atlanta,” Island Press, 2000)

The struggle of this community to redress toxic dumpsite pollution epitomizes the need for governments to implement healthy public policies. Government agencies must recognize that environmental decisions that impose potential health hazards directly affect a community's quality of life. Instead of a legacy of contamination, both national and state environmental protection programs should be operating to protect and promote sustainable communities." (Deeohn Ferris, environmental attorney and president of Global Environmental Resources, Inc., Washington, DC)

This is wonderful news that cannot be diluted, abridged, or adulterated in any way by the Supreme Court. This may not be our first "real" victory of the movement, but it certainly has that feel to it. It's beyond gratifying that such a seminal case has ended in a seminal victory. (Veronica Eady, lecturer of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, Tufts University)

The cumulative (environmental, racial, political and health-related) struggles of the black communities in Warren County, NC birthed the now global environmental justice movement. Each and every victory propels the movement forward; the lessons learned are utilized in other struggles. The folks in Warren County, NC have been and continue to be an inspiration to all justice-loving people around the world." (Leslie G. Fields, Director, Global Sustainability Initiative, Friends of the Earth—USA, Washington, DC)

Congratulations on the victory of the residents of Warren County, North Carolina. Their persistence in overcoming the toxic dump sets an example for the whole EJ movement. Let us hope the EPA will not take another 20 years for the next EJ victory. (Jerry Balter, staff attorney, Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia)

As we read about this long over due victory we were reminded of the quote from Martin Luther King -- (paraphrase) “the moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends towards justice; no lie can live forever, and truth crushed to the ground will rise again.” The community residents of Warren County are the true pioneers of sustainability for all communities. We must never, never, never quit. Only quitting can defeat us. Let us follow their example and stay strong in the struggle. (Robin Morris Collin, Professor of Law, Willamette University College of Law and Robert W. Collin, Senior Research Scholar, Center for Public Policy, Willamette University)

Growing up in Britain, the words 'Warren County' were a powerfully evocative rallying cry and synonymous with the environmental justice struggles of people of color and low income. The people of Warren County inspired many of us outside the US Environmental Justice Movement. Congratulations on your long-overdue success. (Dr. Julian Agyeman, assistant professor, Tufts University and author of “Just Sustainabilities: Development in an Unequal World,” MIT Press, 2003)

After more than 20 years the people of Warren County should be congratulated on this momentous victory—a triumph for their community and for us all. Their struggle produced a new language and vision for millions of people seeking environmental justice across the U.S. and around the world. Their work also demonstrated the powerful links between grassroots community action and policy-making at the highest levels of government. The global movement for environmental justice began in Warren County, North Carolina and, for many of us, returning there would be like making a pilgrimage. (Dr. David Naguib Pellow, Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies, University of California, San Diego and author of “ Garbage Wars: The Struggle for Environmental Justice in Chicago. MIT Press, 2002”)

I think what happened in North Carolina is a clear form of "eco-violence," a gross breach of human rights. Had it happened in Europe, in European Court of Justice (ECJ) would have stopped all operations of that sort from proceeding as they did in several cases, for the protection of "the physical and biological integrity" of citizens (i.e., in Italy and Spain respectively), and the protection of their family and home life. (Laura Westra, Ph.D., Professor Emerita of Philosophy University of Windsor and author of “Faces of Environmental Racism: Confronting Issues of Global Justice,” Rowan & Littlefield, 2001)