|
The summer lecture series is sponsored by the VLS Environmental Law Center to discuss current issues in environmental law and policy. The lectures are free to the public and held on the VLS campus in South Royalton, Vermont. Visit http://www.vermontlaw.edu/elc for more information.
Canaries in the Coal Mine: Mercury Bioaccumulation in New England Birds
Tuesday, June 6, 2006
BY: Kent McFarland
Mercury deposition in New England comes from local, regional, and global emissions, with 60% from U.S. emissions. Regulations to address mercury emissions have been successful and total U.S. emissions have declined 40% since 1990. Yet, avian toxicology studies are showing that mercury is lurking in places we never imagined.
Download (.mp3)
Life After Cooper Industries v. Aviall: Restoring Voluntary Cleanup to Superfund (or NOT)
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
BY: Martha Judy
When the Supreme Court decided this case, the dissent knew it would pose problems for responsible parties voluntarily cleaning up toxic sites under Superfund. The majority declined to resolve this conundrum, leaving the issue for the circuit courts to consider. What is the future of voluntary cleanup under Superfund?
Download (.mp3)
Behind the Scenes with Rep. Richard Pombo
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
BY: Mike Lee
Rancher Richard Pombo (R-CA) is behind the current push to radically alter the Endangered Species Act. He draws money and encouragement from a huge fan base in the West. His efforts to roll back federal resource restrictions span the country. We will discuss his rise to power, his ideology, and how the changing nature of his home district threatens his seat this fall.
Download (.mp3)
In the Balance: The Future of the Endangered Species Act
Thursday, June 22, 2006
BY: Bob Irvin
The debate over renewal of the ESA is coming to a head. The House has passed a bill introduced by Richard Pombo which would drastically alter the conservation of endangered species. Key U.S. Senators are negotiating possible changes to the ESA. An inside look at the negotiations, an analysis of the Pombo bill, and predictions of what will happen next.
Download (.mp3)
Accountability in the Nuclear Industry
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
BY: Tom Henry
The near-rupture of Davis-Besse's reactor in 2002 reinvigorated anti-nuclear activists. The nuclear industry fought to keep the public from thinking of this safety lapse as business as usual. How did the NRC allowed itself to get snookered by a utility that puts profits ahead of safety in an era of deregulation?
Download (.mp3)
Self-Regulation in the Nonprofit Sector: Land Trusts as a Case Study
Thursday, June 29, 2006
BY: Tammara Van Ryn
Congress and the IRS have increased their scrutiny of nonprofits, with a focus on tax deductions for donating conservation easements. The IRS has taken a more activist role. The land trust community has responded by developing a self-regulation program for land trusts.
Download (.mp3)
The Roberts Court and the Clean Water Act, Part I
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
BY: Kim Connolly and Randy Hill
Three cases provide the first opportunity to see how the Court will deal with statutory interpretation and the commerce clause in environmental cases. S.D. Warren v. Maine Board of Env'l Protection addresses state authority under the CWA to require water quality certifications when hydropower dams are relicensed.
Download (.mp3)
The Roberts Court and the Clean Water Act, Part II
Thursday, July 13, 2006
BY: David Mears and Patrick Parenteau
Rapanos v. U.S. and Carabell v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers address the extent of federal jurisdiction over wetlands and tributaries. Do these decisions portend a radical overhaul of federal environmental law or just tinkering at the edges?
Download (.mp3)
Global Warming in the American Press: Covering the Skeptics
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
BY: Cynthia Henry
Has the journalistic inclination to seek "balance" on global warming misrepresented scientific uncertainty to the advantage of those opposed to curbing greenhouse gases? Is the public now informed or more confused? How American journalists have struggled to cover an issue that defies the norms of breaking news. Wednesday, July 19 Agri-environmental Conflicts and Complementarities: Are the Old and New Worlds Different? with Ian Hodge. In world trade talks, the Old World countries of Europe and Japan are often accused of unfairly subsidizing their farmers. They say they're using agricultural policies in support of the environment and other public goods. Is the relationship between agriculture and the environment different in Old World countries?
Download (.mp3)
A Snowball In Hell, or, How The Arctic Was Won
Thursday, July 20, 2006
BY: Peter Van Tuyn
How the 2005 fight to protect the Arctic Refuge was won in the face of incredible odds. An overview of the legal, media, and grassroots efforts that upset universal truths on Capitol Hill and resulted in a huge defeat for the Bush Administration and pro-drillers in Congress, with up-to-the minute news on the effort to drill the Refuge this year.
Download (.mp3)
California's Marine Life Protection Act: A Report from the Front on the Central Coast
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
BY: Scott McCreary
California's Marine Life Protection Act calls for creation of a statewide network of Marine Protected Areas by 2011. A stateprivate partnership supports this effort, with California's biologically diverse and politically contentious central coast the pilot study area. Wednesday, July 26 Cost-Benefit Analysis: The Latest Mischief with Lisa Heinzerling. Cost-benefit analysis has achieved great prominence in recent years, largely due to the oversight of regulatory agencies by the White House Office of Management and Budget. In recent reviews, OMB has shown a consistent anti-regulatory bias and a pronounced tendency to underestimate the benefits of regulation.
Download (.mp3)
Public-Private Partnerships to Meet Water and Sanitation Needs
Thursday, July 27, 2006
BY: Gregory Koch
The Coca-Cola Company is the largest single corporate employer on the African continent with operations in 50 countries. Koch, managing director for Global Water Stewardship at The Coca-Cola Company, will examine the company's role and impact in the context of sustainable development.
Download (.mp3)
Sustainable Development - A Practical Approach
Tuesday, August 1, 2006
BY: Lea Swanson.
Drawing on field-work in Bolivia, Africa, and Papua New Guinea, Swanson will explore the challenges and opportunities of a global NGO working with business, government, and local NGOs to make a positive contribution to advancing sustainable development.
Download (.mp3)
* The views expressed in these lectures are those of the speakers and do not reflect views any of current or former employers.
|