Laws & Regulations

"Justices Allow Challenge to E.P.A. Control of Wetlands" [1]

"The Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Wednesday that an Idaho couple had the right to file an immediate court challenge to a federal Environmental Protection Agency decision designating their property as wetlands and forbidding them from building a home there."

Laws & Regulations [2]

Natural Resources [3]

Public [4]

National (U.S.) [5]

Source: NY Times [6], 03/22/2012

Read more about "Justices Allow Challenge to E.P.A. Control of Wetlands" [1]

Mexico Moves Toward Federalizing Crimes Against Journalists [7]

The Mexican Senate on March 13, 2012, approved a constitutional amendment making attacks on journalists a federal crime — which would help journalists bypass possibly corrupt local police officials. The measure must now be approved by a majority of Mexico's state legislatures.

SEJ Publication Types:

WatchDog TipSheet [8]

Topics on the Beat:

Laws & Regulations [2]

Journalism & Media [9]

Government [10]

Region:

Mexico [11]

Visibility:

Public [4]

Read more about Mexico Moves Toward Federalizing Crimes Against Journalists [7]

EPA's 22-Year Battle With Cranberry Farm Ends; Questions, Anger Linger [12]

"Though U.S. EPA has prevailed in one of its longest-running enforcement matters, there's some debate over whether the payoff was worth all the effort."

Laws & Regulations [2]

Water & Oceans [13]

Public [4]

National (U.S.) [5]

Source: Greenwire [14], 03/21/2012

Read more about EPA's 22-Year Battle With Cranberry Farm Ends; Questions, Anger Linger [12]

"Feds Let BP Off Probation Despite Pending Safety Violations" [15]

"BP’s refining subsidiary was released [Monday] from criminal probation related to a 2005 explosion in Texas City that killed 15 workers."

Environmental Politics [16]

Government [10]

Laws & Regulations [2]

Public [4]

National (U.S.) [5]

Source: ProPublica [17], 03/14/2012

Read more about "Feds Let BP Off Probation Despite Pending Safety Violations" [15]

March 22, 2012 to March 23, 2012

The Clean Water Act at 40: The J.B. & Maurice C. Shapiro Environmental Law Symposium [18]

In Washington, DC, co-sponsored by The George Washington University Law School, The Environmental Law Institute, The Center for Progressive Reform, The Association of Clean Water Administrators, The Clean Water America Alliance, The GW Journal of Energy and Environmental Law, and The GW Environmental Law Association.

Professional Meetings [19]

Visibility:

Public [4]

Topics on the Beat:

Water & Oceans [13]

Pollution [20]

Natural Resources [3]

Laws & Regulations [2]

Government [10]

Environmental Politics [16]

Region:

National (U.S.) [5]

Va. Supreme Court Denies Cuccinelli Access to Climate Scientist Emails [21]

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R, pictured at left), who avows himself a global warming skeptic, had sought from the University of Virginia grant applications by former U.Va. climate scientist Michael Mann, creator of the "hockey stick" graph, and emails between Mann and other scientists.

SEJ Publication Types:

WatchDog TipSheet [8]

Topics on the Beat:

Laws & Regulations [2]

Climate Change [22]

Region:

Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [23]

Visibility:

Public [4]

Read more about Va. Supreme Court Denies Cuccinelli Access to Climate Scientist Emails [21]

"Lawyers Descend En Masse for Arguments on Greenhouse Gas Rules" [24]

"If the importance and complexity of a court case can be established based on the number of lawyers at the lectern, then the battle over the Obama administration greenhouse gas regulations is of epic proportions. When the three interlinked cases are argued over two days at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit this week, no fewer than 18 different attorneys will advocate for their clients before the three-judge panel."

Climate Change [22]

Environmental Politics [16]

Laws & Regulations [2]

Public [4]

National (U.S.) [5]

Source: Greenwire [25], 02/28/2012

Read more about "Lawyers Descend En Masse for Arguments on Greenhouse Gas Rules" [24]

March 7, 2012

Protecting China's Land: Hope for People and Nature [26]

At this two-hour event in Washington, DC, which is co-sponsored by the Woodrow Wilson Center, the Environmental Law Institute, and the China Environment Forum, three speakers will delve into the status of land reforms and land protection in China.

Professional Meetings [19]

Visibility:

Public [4]

Topics on the Beat:

Planning & Growth [27]

People & Population [28]

Laws & Regulations [2]

Government [10]

Environmental Politics [16]

Region:

Asia [29]

Despite High Court, Navy Keeps WA Town in Dark on Explosion Threat [30]

A landmark Supreme Court decision awarded Port Townsend residents the right to know about the potential location of explosives on the Indian Island Naval Magazine near their town. After losing the case, the Defense Department bolstered its legal grounds for secrecy by asking Congress to slip into the 2012 Defense Authorization an amendment creating a new statutory exemption to FOIA for the DOD.

SEJ Publication Types:

WatchDog TipSheet [8]

Topics on the Beat:

Military [31]

Laws & Regulations [2]

Disasters [32]

Region:

Northwest (OR WA) [33]

Visibility:

Public [4]

Read more about Despite High Court, Navy Keeps WA Town in Dark on Explosion Threat [30]

March 16, 2012 to March 17, 2012

MIT Energy Conference [34]

In its 7th year, the MIT Energy Conference is an annual two-day conference that brings together leaders in the fields of technology, policy, industry, and finance to explore solutions to the world’s most pressing energy challenges.

Other Events [35]

Visibility:

Public [4]

Topics on the Beat:

Technology [36]

Science [37]

Policy [38]

Natural Resources [3]

Laws & Regulations [2]

Environmental Studies [39]

Energy & Fuel [40]

Region:

Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [41]

The Clean Water Act at 40: The J.B. & Maurice C. Shapiro Environmental Law Symposium [18]

Protecting China's Land: Hope for People and Nature [26]

MIT Energy Conference [34]

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