Written by: Emily Clites On March 13, 2023, the Biden administration cleared the way for ConocoPhillips’ extensive oil drilling project, the Willow Project, to begin on the federally owned National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (“NRP-A”).[1] ConocoPhillips is an energy company that has been operating in Alaska for more than 50 […]
Legal Voice Blog
Pennsylvania Has a Duty to Communicate More Effectively with the Public on Environmental Incidents
Written by: Alexa Austin In April 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) issued a violation notice to a Shell cracker plant in Beaver County for malodors from its wastewater treatment facility between January 25 and February 16.[1] As a result of this violation, Shell had released two tons […]
Electric Smart Meters and Privacy
Written by: Ann Cheetham Most American consumers use electric in their homes. In recent years, this electric consumption has been monitored by smart meters[1], a technology that introduces privacy issues: both Fourth Amendment privacy and consumer privacy. A smart meter enables two-way transmission of energy consumption data between consumers and […]
Falling Off Track: The Result of Unchecked Train Crew Regulations on East Palestine, Ohio
Written by: Kate Sullivan On July 28, 2022, the Federal Railroad Administration (“FRA”) proposed a rule (“the rule”) that would require a minimum crew size of two for all railroad operations.[1] Trains constantly transport hazardous chemicals across the United States, and the rule would provide increased safeguards to protect against […]
A Comparison of the East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment and the Livingston, Louisiana Train Derailment of 1982
Written by: Meghann Principe As the impact and handling of the February 3rd Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio is ongoing, it may be helpful to compare it to another similar incident.[1] In East Palestine, a train made up of more than one hundred cars derailed.[2] Of these […]
R.S. 2477 and the Impact on the Western United States Continued
Written by: Maegan Stump The first of this series can be found here. As a recap, Revised Statute 2477 (“R.S. 2477”) was originally enacted in 1866, but the federal statute was later annulled by the Federal Land Management and Policy Act.[1] R.S. 2477 allowed implied easements, primarily on roads, to […]
The Unrealized and Unsuspecting Future of Electric Vehicle Batteries
Written by: Patrick Scully In September of 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-79-20, outright banning the sale of fossil-fueled cars by 2035.[1] Simultaneously heralded and rebuked by many, Executive Order N-79-20 nonetheless is the largest, and most daring, initiative on behalf of electric vehicles.[2] Whether approved or […]
The Unseen Costs of Your Morning Cup of Coffee
Written by: Gabriella Godlewski While most people are aware of the individual financial costs attributed to the purchase of a cup of coffee each day, many are not aware of the environmental costs of doing so. It is estimated that every cup of coffee consumed destroys roughly one square inch […]
Greenwashing, or Conscious Shopping?: H&M’s Controversial Sustainable Efforts
Written by: Meghan Wright On December 06, 2022, before a Missouri federal judge, the popular clothing brand H&M Hennes and Mauritz LP (known widely as “H&M”) filed a motion to dismiss in response to a class action claim brought against their “Conscious Choice” collection.[1] This collection was marketed as being […]
Legalizing “Green” Death Practices
Written by: Antonia Gelorme Where does the law intersect with the death industry and environmental consciousness? The “death industry” encompasses those businesses that are dedicated to memorializing loved ones who have passed on. In 2020, the industry, along with almost every aspect of society, was rocked by the pandemic. The […]