This course is designed to give students a working knowledge of how the major federal environmental laws are structured, implemented and enforced. Basic themes of environmental regulation include the examination of (a) how a "cooperative federalism" approach to environmental regulation actually works; (b) the role of the private citizen through advocacy by environmental organizations and in "citizen suit" enforcement; and (c) how conflicting world views and ideological battles are being waged in the current debates about regulation (e.g., "command and control" vs. markets to pollute), risk assessment and risk management. This course will examine these and other contemporary issues in environmental regulation through the lens of selected federal environmental laws pertaining to the control of toxic substances, waste management, air pollution control, water pollution control, environmental impact assessment, and biodiversity. The text used will be the current edition of PERCIVAL, SCHROEDER, MILLER & LEAPE, ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION: LAW, SCIENCE, AND POLICY. No prerequisite law course is required, nor is any particular background (e.g., science or engineering) required.
Updated: May 20, 2013