Environmental Law and Policy

Catalog description

In this course, we will look at the major statutes and policies used to protect humans and the environment from exposure to harmful substances, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, CERLCA (Superfund), Resource Conservation & Recovery Act, and approaches to protecting endangered species and ecosystems. We will also examine the challenges of protecting the global commons, including from ozone depletion, plastics pollution, and climate change. The class will look not only at the substance of these laws and policies, but also review common-law litigation, and issues with implementation and enforcement. Students will become familiar with the history of environmental law and will analyze important landmark cases, as well as the hierarchy of laws, and jurisdictions that shape environmental law and policy. Students will apply their knowledge to real examples, with the goal of understanding the possibilities and limits of legal and policy solutions to address the critical environmental challenges facing our world today.