By: Drew Gudenburr To the early humans that roamed the great planet earth, hunting was a necessity.[1] The quarry not only provided food, but also resources such as clothing and materials for tools deriving from bones, horns and hooves.[2] Soon, the human species began hunting not only for survival but […]
Legal Voice Blog
President Trump Turns to the Defense Production Act to Address Oil Shortage Following Conflict with Iran
By: Mia Shipley On March 13, 2026, President Trump invoked the emergency powers of the Defense Production Act (“DPA”) to boost select oil operations off of California’s southern coast.[1] This executive order comes merely ten days after the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel (“OLC”) issued an […]
The Intersection of The One Big Beautiful Bill of 2025 & The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920
By: Thane Zeeh Nearly one-third of the 1.8-billion-acre American landscape is currently held in fee by the Federal Government; this ownership exists primarily as a massive sprawl across Alaska and the Greater West.[1] Hidden in the underground beneath this land sits an array of valuable resources in the form of […]
When the Hum Never Stops: Noise Pollution, Data Centers, and the Limits of Nuisance Law
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 […]
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 […]
Alaska’s Controversial Use of a Predator Control Program to Address the Steep Population Decline of Mulchatna Carbiou
Written by: Matthew Kertesz With caribou in Alaska’s Mulchatna region facing steep population decline, the state government has adopted a controversial plan that has raised ethical concerns, as well as questions about the plan’s efficacy.[1] The plan surrounds a predator control program that empowers state authorities to aerially gun down […]