Take Me to the River. . . Let’s Conserve the Water
February 13, 2023 by Allie Williams Climate change State and Local WaterBy Allie Williams, Staff Contributor.
Online Articles
The United States Needs a Plan for Climate-Driven Migration
January 29, 2021 by Alec Williams Climate change International Oceans WaterBy Eleanor Hildebrandt, Staff Contributor
The effects of climate change will make swaths of the planet uninhabitable, displacing millions of people. How can the United States’ legal system facilitate an equitable, humanitarian response to those seeking safe resettlement within its borders?
The Flint Water Settlement and Implications of the Michigan Supreme Court’s Reaffirmation of State Constitutional Tort Claims
December 1, 2020 by Scott Fletcher State and Local WaterBy: Alexander Collingsworth, Staff Contributor
Residents of Flint, Michigan will likely receive some compensation soon for the poisoning of their drinking water. In August, the state of Michigan settled claims against it and Michigan officials, including former Governor Rick Snyder, for $600 million. What are the implications of the Michigan Supreme Court decision that opened the way for this settlement? And how much money are individual residents likely to see?
A National Problem with No National Solution
February 26, 2020 by Sara Douki Energy Fossil Fuels Natural Resources Oil and Gas Renewable Energy State and Local WaterGabriel Dowdell, Staff Contributor
Should the EPA regulate fracking more heavily? Currently, states that benefit financially from fracking regulate the industry.
Too Big on the Pig: America’s Taste for Pork Comes with Costs
March 18, 2019 by Alexander Pappas State and Local WaterBy Catherine Schluter, Staff Contributor
Pork is a big part of the American diet, but pig farming has serious environmental and human health consequences. North Carolina is one of the biggest pork producers in the country, but its state legislature, like many other states, is putting pork profits over sufficient protections.
Punishing Today’s Pirates: The Alien Tort Statute as a Remedy for Climate Change Refugees
January 24, 2019 by Gregory Harned Climate change Energy Fossil Fuels International Litigation Natural Resources WaterBy Scott Novak, Staff Contributor
Whereas the Refugee Convention does not provide relief for climate change refugees like Teitiota, the Alien Tort Statute (ATS) might.
(Sea) Walling Off the Beach: The Future of California’s Coastal Commons Remains Contested
November 15, 2018 by De Vann Sago Climate change Public Lands State and Local WaterBy Ryan Levandowski, Staff Contributor. As rising sea levels threaten California’s coast, the state’s characteristic beaches have become a battleground for homeowners, cities, and state regulatory agencies. Because coastal adaptation policies often pit preservation of public beaches against private property rights, recent litigation over the issue has posed a difficult question for courts: Who should (literally) give ground?
Trotting towards Trouble: the State of the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro Program
October 3, 2018 by Caitlin Meagher Endangered Species Public Lands State and Local Water WildlifeBy Caroline McHugh, Staff Contributor
The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 protected horses and burros in the American West. Now the population has recovered (and then some). How do federal agencies approach increasingly conflicting mandates for public land management?
A Blooming Problem: How Florida Could Address the Causes and Effects of Red Tide
August 29, 2018 by Georgetown Environmental Law Review WaterBy John Niedzwiecki, Senior Editor
Florida’s Gulf Coast is known for its white beaches, lush plant and aquatic life, and unique wildlife. But this verdant paradise is threatened by the rise of red tides: harmful algae blooms that harm Florida’s economy, the health of coastal residents, and a very fragile ecosystem. What can the legal system do to protect Florida’s coast?