MSCI 693 - Environmental Law

As required (3) Law School Staff Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor

Students will study the nature and causes of environmental pollution and of the main legal techniques for its control. The course will consider the common law, the environmental impact assessment process (e.g., the National Environmental Policy Act), and the basic regulatory framework for air, water and solid and hazardous waste control (the Federal Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act), with attention given under each statute to the basic regulatory framework and the main policy issues presented by it. Other topics will include the role of the federal courts in reviewing agency action, new developments in federal administrative law (including current efforts at administrative law reform), natural resource management and allocation issues involved in the division of scarce resources (e.g., air and water) among competing users, toxic and hazardous substance regulation, and enforcement of environmental laws. Cross-listed with LAW 424.