This summer, Bella is working with Cottonwood Environmental Law Center, a nonprofit organization based in Bozeman, Montana. Cottonwood aims to protect the people, forests, water, and wildlife of the American West primarily through conversation lawsuits and educational campaigns. Her work is focused on prosecuting the Yellowstone Club for dumping treated sewage into the Gallatin River, ensuring bison are able to roam freely on public lands in the great Yellowstone ecosystem, and protecting the rights of cities to establish their own single-use plastic regulations. She hopes to explore how bridging legal frameworks with local advocacy can create a powerful catalyst for environmental justice in Montana.
STUDENT RESEARCHER
Bella Amell – Western Resource Fellow | Bella is a student in Yale College studying Global Affairs and Environmental Studies, with a concentration in environmental law and policy. She was born and raised in the beautiful Brunswick, Maryland, and is passionate about advocating for environmental justice and ecosystem conservation in rural communities. Elsewhere on campus, you can find her singing with her acapella group, the New Blue of Yale, crafting the perfect cup of coffee at the Silliman Acorn, or representing her residential college community as a Senator on the Yale College Council. See what Bella has been up to.