She’s been a vocal opponent of Enviva’s planned wood pellet plant in Epes, Alabama, a majority-Black town of just a few hundred people. Shepherd is the founder of BlackBelt Women Rising, a nonprofit committed to environmental justice in the community. When she learned that Enviva, an international wood pellet company, is facing a financial crisis that may impact its plans in Alabama, she was thrilled. Sign up for their newsletter here.ĮPES -Portia Shepherd said “it’s a God thing.” This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment.
