SUPR 352 Environmental Law and Policy
The laws and policies governing our engagement with the natural world are some of the most important tools for environmental protection at our disposal. This course guides students through the history and study of major federal and state environmental decisions over the past 70 years, such as the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, Superfund, and the Clean Air and Water Acts. How have different groups turned to the law as an instrument for environmental action? How have opponents and special interests responded to those efforts, and what are the limits of regulation? In exploring these questions, we consider recurring themes shaping environmental law implementation, such as equity for marginalized communities, resource management, and cost-benefit analysis. As a leader in environmental policy, we also dedicate a portion of the course to California and its important contribution to this field. Students are familiarized with groundbreaking statutes such as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the Safe Drinking Water & Toxic Enforcement Act (Proposition 65). We review the state’s specific environmental concerns, ask why our regulations are often more extensive than federal statutes, and consider the state’s role in shaping national discussions surrounding climate change and sustainability.
Prerequisites: MDST 120, WRIT 313, LSCI 105 (or LSCI 106 or LSCI 205)