Dr. Mary Finley-Brook
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Profile
Mary Finley-Brook is a Professor of Geography and Global Studies at the University of Richmond, where she has taught since 2006. Finley-Brook has decades of experience conducting participatory action research and collaborates regularly with community-based organizations and frontline populations to advance climate justice in energy sector transformation. Her interests include environmental policy, climate justice, public health, energy transition, affordable access to renewable energy technologies, and equity in environmental, climate and energy governance. She has served on review panels for the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. Finley-Brook is co-author of the textbook Climate Crisis, Energy Violence with Elsevier Press (2024). Her research has been published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Energy Research and Social Science, Geopolitics, International Forestry Review, Water Alternatives and William and Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review. Finley-Brook recommended creation of the Virginia Governor’s Advisory Council on Environmental Justice to the Northam Administration and was a founding member. She conducted participatory research with the Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative (2015-2023) Current collaborations with community partners include green workforce training with Bridging the Gap in Virginia and energy justice initiatives in Puerto Rico with Comité Diálogo Ambiental.
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Awards
2023, Green Giant Award, Falls of the James River chapter of the Sierra Club.
2023, Environmental Protection Agency Student Video Competition Award to Salters, M., M. Dunbar and S. Murtaugh with Finley-Brook, M. (Faculty Mentor), “Pollution to Prosperity: Tackling Landfill Impacts for a Thriving Future,” EPA Environmental Justice Video Competition, Phase II.
2022, Environmental Protection Agency Student Video Competition Award to Salters, M. and M. Dunbar with Finley-Brook, M. (Faculty Mentor), “Looking Deep into Landfills: A Story of Environmental Injustice in Charles City County,” EPA Environmental Justice Video Competition, Phase I.
2022, Engage for Change Group Collaboration Award, Center for Civic Engagement, University of Richmond.
2019, Engage for Change Engaged Scholarship Award, Center for Civic Engagement, University of Richmond.
2018, International Education Award, Office of International Education, University of Richmond.
2017, Sustainability Leadership Award, Office of Sustainability, University of Richmond.
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Awards
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Publications
BooksFinley-Brook, M. and S. Metts. (2024). Climate Crisis, Energy Violence: Mapping fossil energy’s enduring grasp on our precarious future. Elsevier. 570 pages.Journal Articles
Mullis, C. S., & Finley-Brook, M. (2024). Circular economy, methane capture, and climate education in US HEIs. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 25(9), 488-504. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ijshe-01-2024-0027/full/pdf
Finley-Brook, M., Oba, C., Fjord, L., Walker, R. W., Allen, L. V. R., Harris, F., Cavalier, C., Shabazz, Z., Sims, J., *Crawford, K., Ferguson, K.L., Berthoud, H.D., Campblin, K, Roberts, W., *Gebre, K., *Hansley, C. Fuhrmann, S., Kreydatus, E., Leech, I., Satterwhite, E., *Chia Balmaceda, B., *Dunbar, M., *Appolon, A. & Metts, S. (2022). “Racism and Toxic Burden in Rural Dixie.” William and Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review., 46, 603.
Finley-Brook, Mary, Travis Williams, Judi Anne Sheppard, and Mary Kathleen Jaromin.* 2018. “Critical Energy Justice in US Natural Gas Infrastructuring.” Energy Research and Social Science. 41: 176-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2018.04.019.
Finley-Brook, Mary and Erica L. Holloman. 2016. “Empowering Energy Justice.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 13(9): 926. doi:10.3390/ijerph13090926
Finley-Brook, Mary. 2016. “Territorial ‘Fix’: Tenure Insecurity in Titled Indigenous Territories.” Bulletin of Latin American Research. 35(3): 338-354. doi: 10.1111/blar.12489.
Finley-Brook, Mary and Alex Krass. 2016. “Higher Ed’s Carbon Addition.” Human Geography. 9(1): 83-87.
Sangree, Anna, and Mary Finley-Brook. "La Igualdad de Género en las Carreras de Conservación: Ucayali, Peru en un Contexto Global." Revista de la Universidad Nacional de Ucayali, 2015, 40-50.
Wing, Megan, Hasia White, Christian Graven, and Mary Finley-Brook. "Participacion Regional en las Iniciativas para Reducir Emisiones de Deforestación y Degradación Forestal en Ucayali, Peru." Revista de la Universidad Nacional de Ucayali, 2015, 40-50.
Finley-Brook, Mary. "Renewable Energy." In Achieving Sustainability: Visions, Principles, and Practices, edited by Debra Rowe, 644-52. Vol. 2. Gale, 2014.
Finley-Brook, Mary. 2014. “Climate Justice Advocacy.” Public Diplomacy, 12: 11-15.
Finley-Brook, Mary. "Hydropower." In Achieving Sustainability: Visions, Principles, and Practices, edited by Debra Rowe, 464-69. Vol. 1. Gale, 2014.
Finley-Brook, Mary, Megan Zanella-Litke, Kyle Ragan* and Breana Coleman.* 2012. “Energizing Liberal Education.” Liberal Education, 98(4): 22-27.
Finley-Brook, Mary. 2012. “Market Citizenship in Eastern Nicaraguan Indigenous Territories.” AlterNative, 8(4): 393-409.
Finley-Brook, Mary. 2012. “Geoeconomic Assumptions, Insecurity and ‘Free’ Trade in Central America.” Geopolitics, 17(3): 629-657.
Finley-Brook, Mary. 2012. “El Tratado de Libre Comercio entre Centroamérica, República Dominicana y Estados Unidos (CAFTA-DR) y el desarrollo desigual.” Mesoamérica, 54: 54-93.
Finley-Brook, Mary. 2011. “Inter-Indigenous Development Aid: Markets, Corporations, and Biases.” The Canadian Geographer/Le Géographe canadien, 55(3): 334-353.
Finley-Brook, Mary and Curtis Thomas. 2011. "Renewable Energy and Human Rights Violations: Illustrative Cases from Indigenous Territories in Panama," Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 101 (4): 863-872.
Finley-Brook, M. and Thomas, C. 2010. Treatment of displaced indigenous populations in two large hydro projects in Panama. Water Alternatives, 3, 269-290.
Finley-Brook, Mary and K. Hoyt. 2009. CAFTA Opposition: Divergent Networks, Uneasy Solidarities, Latin American Perspectives, 36(6): 27-45.
Finley-Brook, M. and K. Offen. 2009. "Bounding the Commons: Land Demarcation in Northeastern Nicaragua" Bulletin of Latin American Research 28(3): 1-21.
Finley-Brook, M. 2007. "Indigenous land tenure insecurity fosters illegal logging in Nicaragua" International Forestry Review 9(4): 850-864.
Finley-Brook, M. 2007. "Green Neoliberal Space: The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor." Journal of Latin American Geography 6(1): 101-124.
Finley-Brook, Mary. 2007. “Impacts of Multi-scale Partnerships on Miskitu Forest Governance in Nicaragua” in Global-Local Partnerships for Conservation and Sustainable Forest Use: A Latin American Perspective, Mirjam Ros (Ed.). Boston: Brill. pp. 207-227.
Book ChaptersFinley-Brook, M. 2021. “Latin American hydropower sacrifice zones.” Routledge Energy Democracy Handbook, A. Feldpausch-Parker, Ed. Abingdon, UK: Routledge Press, pp. 319-116.
Finley-Brook, Mary and Osvaldo Jordan. 2019. “Energy Transition and Uneven Development.” Routledge Handbook of Latin American Development. Julie Cupples, Marcela Palomino-Schalsha, and Manuel Prieto, Eds. Abingdon, UK: Routledge Press. pp. 446-457.
Finley-Brook, Mary. 2019. “Extreme Energy Injustice and the Expansion of Capital” in Organized Violence and the Expansion of Capital. Dawn Paley and Simon Granovsky-Larsen, Eds. Regina, SK: University of Regina Press. pp. 23-47.
Finley-Brook, Mary. 2018. “CAFTA-DR, Uneven Development, and Diverging Trajectories.” Routledge Handbook of International Trade Agreements. Robert Moody, Ed. Abingdon, UK: Routledge Press. pp. 166-180.
Finley-Brook, Mary. 2017. “Justice and Equity in Carbon Offset Governance: Debates and Dilemmas” in The Carbon Fix: Forest Carbon, Social Justice and Environmental Governance. Stephanie Paladino and Shirley Fiske, Eds. London: Routledge. pp. 74-88.
Finley-Brook, Mary. 2017. “Hydropower’s Fluid Geographies” in Handbook on the Geographies of Energy. Barry Soloman and Kirby Calvert, Eds. Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing. pp. 119-133.Finley-Brook, Mary. 2016. “Justice and Equity in Carbon Offset Governance: Debates and Dilemmas” in The Carbon Fix: Forest Carbon, Social Justice and Environmental Governance. Stephanie Paladino and Shirley Fiske, Eds. London: Routledge. pp. 74-88.
Finley-Brook, Mary. 2014. “Green Neoliberal Space: The Case of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor” in Indigenous Peoples, National Parks, and Protected Areas: a New Paradigm Linking Conservation, Culture, and Rights, Stan Stevens, (Ed.). Tucson: University of Arizona Press. pp. 172-196.
Finley-Brook, Mary and Curtis Thomas*. 2013. “Renewable Energy and Human Rights Violations: Illustrative Cases from Indigenous Territories in Panama,” in The New Geographies of Energy: Assessment and Analysis of Critical Landscapes, Karl Zimmerer, (Ed.). New York: Routledge. pp. 162-171.
Finley-Brook, Mary. 2011. ‘We Are the Owners’: Autonomy and Natural Resources in Northeastern Nicaragua” in The Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua: From National Reincorporation to Contested Autonomy, Luciano Baracco (Ed.). New York: Algora. pp. 309-336.
ReviewsMullis, C. and M. Finley-Brook (2022, March 2). “Guest Column: Waste Management’s ‘bait-and-switch’ sustainability continues to harm communities.” Virginia Mercury.
Finley-Brook, M. (2021, December 21). “Guest Column: Halt Hydrogen Hype.” Virginia Mercury.
Finley-Brook, M. (2019, October 9). “Guest Column: The hidden power behind the Chickahominy gas power plant proposal.” Virginia Mercury.
Finley-Brook, M. (2018). “JLAG Retrospective: Violent Green Spaces in Neoliberal Central America.” Journal of Latin American Geography. 17(1): 267-272.
Finley-Brook, M. (2014). “Climate Justice Advocacy.” Public Diplomacy. 12: 11-15.
Finley-Brook, M., M. Zanella-Litke, K. Ragan and B. Coleman. (2012). “Energizing Liberal Education.” Liberal Education. 98(4): 22-27.
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In the News
GFL Says It’s ‘Green For Life’—Its Neighbours Disagree
Tue., Jun. 18, 2024Earth Day and every day
Fri., Apr. 12, 2024Henrico Planning Commission to weigh Sandston data center proposal April 11
Thu., Apr. 11, 2024Dominion starting to move toxic coal ash from Chesterfield
Fri., Oct. 20, 2023Dr. Mary Finley-Brook speaks about air toxics cancer risk
Fri., Oct. 20, 2023Summer treks
Mon., Sep. 4, 2023Commentary: Clean energy is cheaper, so why is Dominion building a gas peaker plant?
Wed., Aug. 23, 2023Advocates, experts caution against proposed new gas plant in Chesterfield
Thu., Aug. 10, 2023Dr. Mary Finley-Brook speaks about air toxics cancer risk
Wed., Aug. 9, 2023Virginia students are pushing for fossil fuel divestment. Universities say it’s complicated
Mon., Jun. 19, 2023U.S. okays Mountain Valley Pipeline in unprecedented move
Tue., Jun. 6, 2023Richmond Gas Works leaks millions of dollars of natural gas each year, records show
Sat., May. 13, 2023The higher education divestment movement has arrived in Virginia
Sat., Apr. 15, 2023UR Faculty Senate unanimously passes climate justice resolution
Tue., Apr. 4, 2023GreenUR Protests Investment in Fossil Fuels
Tue., Apr. 4, 2023Artsline - New stories, music & theatre take the chill off February!
Mon., Feb. 6, 2023Newsroom: Sarah Murtaugh, '23: Senior Geographer and Global Studies Major Creates Maps for Community Empowerment
Wed., Nov. 16, 2022Heating Up
Wed., Oct. 5, 2022Digging deep into the charged world of renewable energy
Fri., Aug. 19, 2022Mountain Valley Pipeline shield in Manchin's deal raises hackles
Tue., Aug. 2, 2022Researchers work to honor enslaved coal miners of Chesterfield
Mon., Jun. 20, 2022Sea change: Music helps students grasp climate risk facing island nations
Mon., May. 16, 2022Saving the World
Mon., Mar. 14, 2022Existing Virginia landfills and gas operations should face new scrutiny
Tue., Feb. 1, 2022Mountain Valley Pipeline's Up-and-Down Legal Journey
Wed., Jan. 26, 2022FERC: Virginia Pipeline's environmental contractor has 'conflict of interest'
Wed., Dec. 22, 2021State Corporation Commission report says Chickahominy Pipeline must face state regulation
Mon., Nov. 22, 2021Residents Near Proposed Lambert Compressor Station Push Back, Cite Environmental Racism
Fri., Nov. 19, 2021A historically Black town stood in the way of a pipeline so the developers claimed it was mostly white
Thu., Sep. 16, 2021Pittsylvania County NAACP hosts environmental justice webinar
Mon., Aug. 23, 2021Gas projects reveal FERC's environmental justice conundrum
Tue., Aug. 3, 2021EPA Warns of Mountain Valley Pipeline Impact on Streams, Says Project Should Not Receive Water Permit
Wed., Jul. 14, 2021Where are the U.S.’s natural gas pipelines? Often in vulnerable communities
Fri., Jun. 4, 2021McKenna Dunbar on youth voices in the climate conservation
Thu., Apr. 21, 2022UR students, employees hold silent protest, urging trustees to change contentious building names
Thu., Mar. 25, 2021Controversial Power Plant Project at Portsmouth Shipyard Approved by Air Pollution Board
Fri., Dec. 4, 2020Norfolk Naval Shipyard can go ahead with power and steam plant, state air quality regulators say
Fri., Dec. 4, 2020Virginia Lawmaker Coordinated Support for Mountain Valley Pipeline With Project’s Lobbyist
Thu., Dec. 3, 2020Controversial natural gas station in Chesapeake won’t happen — at least for now
Fri., Nov. 20, 2020In Virginia battleground, natural gas pipeline projects face reversals
Fri., Sep. 4, 2020Chesapeake Bay restoration under scrutiny for lack of diversity
Thu., Jul. 30, 2020Journalists covering Indigenous Peoples in renewable energy should focus on content and truth, not click-bait
Wed., Jan. 22, 2020). In Virginia, Union Hill and racial tensions have put environmental justice back on the map
Thu., Dec. 5, 2019Comment closes Wednesday on permit for giant new natural gas power plant in Charles City
Tue., Mar. 19, 2019Reckless, Racist, Ripoff': Former vice president opposes pipeline in Union Hill
Fri., Feb. 22, 2019Former board members challenge state data ahead of key vote on pipeline facility
Mon., Jan. 7, 2019How money stokes divide of historic black community in Virginia pipeline battle.
Fri., Dec. 7, 2018Compressor anxiety: Historic African American community alleges environmental racism
Wed., Jun. 6, 2018Atlantic Coast Pipeline Faces Civil Rights Complaint After Key Permit Is Blocked
Fri., May. 18, 2018 - Links