COURSE DESCRIPTION
Environmental law is usually one of the first and most important tools used to control or challenge the use of new and disruptive technologies. For example, environmental disputes have strongly influenced the development of:
In return, emerging technologies can affect the growth and scope of environmental regulations, including toxicogenomics, advanced laboratory detection techniques, and remote laser sensing of air pollutants. This course will explore the interplay between environmental law and emerging technologies, including how environmental law creates the demand and market for some new techniques (such as carbon capture and sequestration).
We will invite guest speakers from each of these emerging technological fields to discuss their research and whether they pose environmental legal concerns.
We will use materials from this website and handouts in class. In addition to distributing them in class, I'll have these materials posted on the class website.
If you are interested in practicing in this area, I will also provide a set of supplemental reference materials for purchase or check-out at the Law Library reference desk.
Our class reading assignments will follow the course syllabus listing. Of course, you should read each day's assigned materials in advance and be prepared to discuss them in class. If we need to adjust the reading assignments, I'll be sure to announce the changes in class and post them to the class website as quickly as possible.
Pursuant to the Law Center's policies and ABA requirements, you will need to attend at least 80% of the classes to receive credit for this class. While I won't take daily attendance, you will have to verify on your final examination that you have complied with the Law Center's rules and attended at least 80% of class sessions. I also reserve the right to adjust your final grade to reflect class attendance if you miss more than four classes (i.e., 80%).
If we need to cancel any classes, we will reschedule a make-up class as soon as possible. According to the Law Center's policy, we will likely hold the make-up class on a Friday.
Please be prepared to discuss the readings assigned for that day. I will call on students, and will expect that you have completed the assigned reading. Of course, you can also volunteer comments and questions.
I will adjust grades by one notch (i.e., a half-grade) based on class participation. It works both ways - you can raise your grade with energetic and insightful participation, or you can lower it by consistently failing to prepare adequately for class.
Your grade in this class will be based on a final paper that we will prepare and present in class. This paper will be at least 35 pages long on a topic of your choice within the subject area. Deadlines will be set for different stages of research: topic selection, bibliography, outline, first draft, presentation of research to the class, and submission of a final paper. Because this course is not a seminar, this paper will not satisfy senior writing requirements.
The grade will include an interim grade for submission of a draft paper at mid-semester. You will also receive a grade for your brief presentation of your topic, interim results and conclusions at the end of the semester.
As per Law Center policy, I reserve the right to make adjustments to grades based on attendance and class participation. This adjustment can be upward or downward.
My office is located at Faculty Suites TU-II in office 142. You can reach me during my regular office hours at 3:00 to 4:30 on Mondays and 9:00 to 11:30 on Tuesdays, and I'm also glad to meet with you at any time you'd like to stop by my office (assuming that I'm not otherwise busy). Please call or email me if you'd like to schedule a visit during any particular time. You can reach me at 713-743-1152 (office) or at tdheste2@central.uh.edu .