Environmental Law
Matthew Stephenson
Spring Term 2006, Mon, Tue 8:45-10:15
Course Outline & Reading Assignments
I. The Rise of Federal Statutory Environmental Regulation
Feb. 6 – Common Law Roots: Public and Private Nuisance
CB 60-85
Feb. 7 – The Rise of Federal Regulation and the Impact on Common Law
CB 85-100
SS 1022-1029
Feb. 13 – Private Access to the Courts Under Federal Regulatory Statutes: Standing and Citizen Suits
CB 973-996
1st Supp. 1-7
CB 1007-1017
II. Approaches to Environmental Risk Management
Feb. 14 – Cost-Benefit Analysis
CB 343-345, 28-35, 406-425
Feb. 20 – Risk Thresholds and Health-Based Standards
CB 363-379, 425-427, 445-454
Feb. 21 – Standards of Proof
CB 346-360
1st Supp. 8-23
III. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Feb. 27 – Overview; NEPA Triggers
CB 783-797, 821-832
SS 1042-1046
Feb. 28 – Problems of Timing and Scope
CB 797-821
Mar. 6 – Adequacy of the Environmental Impact Statement
CB 832-852
IV. The Clean Air Act (CAA)
Mar. 7 – Overview; Federal National Ambient Air Quality Standards
CB 491-521
Mar. 13 – State Implementation Plans; Attainment and Nonattainment
2nd Supp. 1-22
Mar. 14 –New Source Review
2nd Supp. 23-59
New York v. EPA (D.C. Cir.) (on-line)
Mar. 20 – Interstate Pollution and Permit Trading
2nd Supp. 60-82
Mar. 21 – Mobile Sources; Hazardous Air Pollutants
2nd Supp. 83-103
SS 1033-1036
V. The Clean Water Act
Apr. 3 – Overview; Scope of Federal Authority
CB 569-604
Apr. 4 – Defining Point Sources
CB 604-619
Apr. 10 – Effluent Limitations and Variances
CB 619-641, 651-662
Apr. 11 – Private Right of Action to Enforce the CWA
CB 996-1007
CB 1018-1026
VI. Hazardous Waste Regulation
Apr. 17 – RCRA Overview; Definition of “Hazardous Waste”
CB 169-212
Apr. 18 – CERCLA Overview; Potentially Responsible Parties
CB 223-228, 231-257
Apr. 24 – CERCLA Liability
CB 257-267, 271-283
SS 1019-1022
Apr. 25 – State Regulation and the Dormant Commerce Clause
CB 288-316
VII. The Endangered Species Act
May 1 – Overview; Listing; Protection Against Federal Action
CB 853-866, 887-904
May 2 – Protection Against Private Action
CB 904-921
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