By: Zachary Atkins Noise pollution belongs in environmental law because Congress itself treated uncontrolled noise as a threat to “health and welfare,” not a private annoyance.[1] The Noise Control Act declares a national policy of an environment “free from noise that jeopardizes” health and welfare, placing noise in the same […]
Miscellaneous
From the Yellowstone National Park to the Courtroom: The Legal Battle over the Controversial Issue of Bison Management
By: Jack Forsythe The growing concern over bison and the population control of the species has become an increasing issue in the state of Montana.[1] Citizens of Montana and governmental agencies have been engaged in a constant debate over how to address the issue in a manner that protects the […]
Natural Gas Company Faces Criminal Charges for Violations of Environmental Acts
By: Shaylin McGuire On October 31, 2025, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that he has filed criminal charges against Seneca Resources, LLC (“Seneca”), citing violations of state environmental laws.[1] Seneca is a large natural gas company that has produced and provided energy to several counties in the Appalachian Basin […]
No More Nurdles: Significant Settlement Agreement to Fund Clean Up Measures in Pittsburgh Waters
by: Delaney Szekely In early September, a major victory for Pittsburgh’s waterways occurred upon Styropek’s settlement with Three Rivers Waterkeeper, Penn Environment, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DPE).[1] After small plastic pellets infiltrated the water and banks of both Raccoon Creek and the Ohio River in 2022, environmentalists […]
Fighting Fire With Fire: How Forest Management Policies Can Create Safer Forests
by: Jacob Zimmerman United States forests are beloved by millions of people and provide an excellent opportunity for visitors to enjoy nature. However, our forests have also become a dangerous force of destruction. The western U.S. has endured deadly wildfires for centuries. When settlers first moved into the western United […]
An Overview of the Mountain Valley Pipeline and its Possible Expansion
On June 14, 2024, a 303-mile pipeline beginning in West Virginia’s Northern panhandle and ending in Southern Virginia began service.[1] The pipeline takes natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica shale deposit to other locations in the US, at about 2 million dekatherms per day. [2] One therm is about […]
Too Hot to Handle: Rising Electricity Bills and Blackouts Over the Summer
By: Alexa Austin The Energy Information Administration (the “EIA”) recently released its Summer 2022 Short-Term Energy Outlook report warning consumers of higher electricity prices for the summer.[1] The EIA is forecasting that household electricity prices will rise 4 percent this year compared to 2021.[2] States such as Hawaii, Louisiana, New […]
Circuits Split on Validity of Perpetuity Requirement in Conservation Easement Deductions
By: Sarah Thomas A circuit split between the Eleventh and Sixth Circuit Courts of Appeals has arisen regarding the validity of the perpetuity requirement for conservation easements.[1] The courts disagreed as to whether Treasury regulations concerning the perpetuity requirement of conservation easement deductions were procedurally valid pursuant […]
Prices at the Pump: What is Causing Them
By: Devon Valinsky Around this time last year, I wrote about the beginning of the rise of gas prices that we have now seen continue over the past year.[1] These rising gasoline prices have reached an all-time high, the likes of which we have not seen since the summer […]
Game, Set, Match: New “Buy Clean” Task Force
By: Allison McKenzie In February 2022, the Biden administration made a potentially strategic move in the battle against climate change through a combative plan to regulate carbon emissions resulting from industrial manufacturers. If this new task force is successful, its creation would prove to be a vital decision in the […]