Introduction to Environmental Law

This course introduces students to the federal regulatory regime developed in the United States to address pollution-control problems. Although the course will touch on common law approaches, the primary focus will be on key concepts and issues in the design, implementation and enforcement of the major federal environmental statutes. We will emphasize cross-cutting issues, such as environmental justice, federalism, standard-setting, permitting, public health protection, and cost-benefit balancing. We will cover the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Recovery Act ("Superfund").

Students interested in the Endangered Species Act should take Wildlife Law. Students interested in ecological conservation and natural resources development should take Public Natural Resources Law. Students interested in allocation of water resources should take Water Law.

Students will be assessed with two take-home exams (a lower stakes midterm and a higher stakes final). There are class participation requirements as well. There is no prerequisite required for this course, though Administrative Law is very helpful.

The required casebook, Glicksman et al., Environmental Protection: Law and Policy (8th ed. 2019) (ISBN 9781454899617) is available in electronic format from the publisher, Wolters Kluwer. I don t know whether it is cheaper to purchase only the electronic version, but that is fine with me if students prefer not to lug around a hardcover print edition.