LAW3 651 - Environmental Law I

The environmental movement of the last several decades has produced a complicated array of laws that continue to evolve. Environmental Law I and II are designed to give students a grasp of those laws, the policies that underlie them, and the legal practice that has grown up around them. In Environmental Law I, we address pollution control under the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts as well as natural resource protection under the National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act. Although the primary focus will be on federal law, we will also explore some local, state and international dimensions. The materials and class discussions will seek to illuminate current regulation of key environmental media and likely future developments such as increased use of emissions trading and information-based strategies. Our inquiry will include attention to the interactions among key players—e.g., industry, agriculture, NGOs, courts, Congress, agencies and departments—in the development and application of the law.

Credits: 3