LAW 426 - Energy Law

Spring (2-3) Cliona Robb

Energy law is at the forefront of developments in natural resources law, public utility law, and environmental law. Policy debates are shaping these developments at the local, state, federal, and international level, giving energy lawyers a real opportunity to influence the world we live in. This course covers the laws and policies that govern the exploitation of energy resources and the production and distribution of electricity. Course coverage begins with traditional principles of utility law and regulation (including rate regulation) and progresses to focus on laws and policies relating to natural gas and electricity. The main focus will be on energy law issues that arise in the context of one major energy- producing activity-the production and use of electric power-with some limited attention to parallel themes in other areas such as natural gas and transportation. We will explore general legal issues in these areas: the role and regulation of markets, the tension between economic and environmental regulation, the degree of national versus decentralized regulation, and the roles law might play in impacting not only supply but also consumer behavior.