Written by: Rachel Schade It is well known that the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) key priority is protecting the nation’s air resources and quality.[1] One significant means of protection includes stopping aftermarket defeat devices for vehicles and engines.[2] Defeat devices illegally modify vehicles through a software designed to defeat […]
Legal Voice Blog
President Biden Leaves a Mixed Legacy on Drilling on Public Land
Written by: Cameron Gallentine On the campaign trail leading up to the 2020 Election, President Biden styled himself as a more proactive steward of the environment than any past president.[1] During a 2020 presidential debate, he even promised to stop new drilling for oil on public lands.[2] After the election, […]
A Legal Blueprint for Climate Activism: Insights from Juliana v. United States
Written by: Mark Schaeffer Introduction Juliana v. United States is a landmark climate lawsuit that has captured the attention of environmentalists, legal scholars, and policymakers alike. Filed in 2015 by twenty-one young plaintiffs represented by Our Children’s Trust (collectively “the plaintiffs”), the case argues that the U.S. government’s failure to […]
Breathless in Texas: The Urgent Call to Tackle Air Pollution Ignored by TCEQ
Written by: Rachel Schade Photo Provided by Dylan Baddour/Inside Climate News at https://www.texastribune.org/2023/07/30/texas-tceq-1-mile-rule-pollution-citizen-complaints/ In the hustle and bustle of our busy modern society, there remains one silent and often ignored threat: our own air quality. As we strive to meet the growing demands of our nation, air pollution has […]
First Smuggling Charge of Greenhouse Gases into the United States
Written by: Natalee Codispot First Smuggling Charge of Greenhouse Gases into the United States On March 4, 2024, Michael Hart was arrested in violation of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (“AIM Act”) of 2020.[1] The AIM Act[2] authorizes the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) to phase […]
Should Fracking Brine Be Disposed in Plum Borough Outside Pittsburgh?
Written By: Kate Sullivan A local Pittsburgh suburb, Plum Borough, has fought its zoning hearing board (“ZHB”) on its approval of a request by Penneco Environmental Solutions, LLC (“Penneco”) to add another underground injection well on its property to dispose of fracking waste for customers.[1] There are limited means to […]
The Hidden Threat of Forever Chemicals
Written By: Jack Indzonka Last November, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals heard a class action lawsuit against 3M and nine other manufacturers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) alleging negligence, battery, and conspiracy claims under laws of Ohio and other states, seeking declaratory and injunctive relief including medical monitoring.[1] […]
The Impact of Held v. Montana on Future Climate Change Litigation
Written by: Daniel Larimer A group of young people have taken the issue of climate change to their state’s Supreme Court in Montana.[1] In 2020, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of sixteen minors between two and eighteen years old challenging a provision of the Montana Environmental Policy Act (“MEPA”) […]
Preventing 2024 From Becoming the Hottest Year on Record
Written By: Alexandra Brooks As 2024 begins, it is important to reflect on the impact that 2023 had on the planet. A report published by Berkeley Earth, an independent climate research group, reported earlier this year that “2023 was the warmest year on Earth since 1850, exceeding the previous record […]
The Inevitable Controversy Around Mitigating the Dakota Access Pipeline Protests
Written By: Lachlan Loudon In 2019, the state of North Dakota sued the federal government for $38 million in damages for the cost of policing protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline.[1] The pipeline, which moves oil from North Dakota to Illinois, has been a subject of controversy for the […]