Mar 28, 2024  
Graduate Record 2008-2009 
    
Graduate Record 2008-2009 [ARCHIVED RECORD]

LAW4 772 - Environmental Law II


One of the inspirations for the modern environmental movement was concern about the widespread dissemination of toxic chemicals in the environment, as portrayed in Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring.” That concern persists, with the annual release in the U.S. alone of over a billion pounds of toxic chemicals. In Environmental Law II, we explore the federal laws that address this concern. These include the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act or Superfund, which assigns liability for the cleanup of contaminated sites and accounts for the bulk of federal environmental litigation, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which establishes “cradle-to-grave” regulation of hazardous waste. We will also explore the regulation of toxic substances in useful products, including the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act. Questions addressed will include: How do regulators assess the risks posed by toxic substances and hazardous wastes; how best to manage these risks; and whether federal laws are providing the right level of protection in the most efficient manner. We will attend to the impact of these laws on markets and corporate behavior, including mergers and acquisitions.

Credits: 3