ZOOM LINK FOR REMOTE CLASS PARTICIPATION:
https://uhlc.zoom.us/j/717339809
| No. | Date | Topics | Guest Speaker(s) | Readings | Comments and Reference Materials |
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| 1. | August 19, 2019 | Introduction to class Foundations of Environmental Law and Philosophy |
Percival, et al. (PSML) pp. 1-17, 41-52 |
Non-Human Rights Project v. Comerford, AC41464 (Connecticut Court of Appeals 8/16/19) . |
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| 2. | Aug. 21, 2019 | Economics and Environmental Protection |
PSML 29-41, 52-58 |
Game Theory Negotiation | |
| 3. | Aug. 26, 2019 | Common Law -Private and Public Nuisance | Project 1: Black Cloud Terminal Exercise . . . Initial claims overview - submit to tdheste2@central.uh.edu |
PSML 65-80, 87-93 |
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| 4. | Aug. 28, 2019 |
Common Law - Private and Public Nuisance (interstate torts, preemption and displacement) |
PSML 80-87, 104-116 |
Crye v. Reichhold Chemicals petition Crye v. Reichhold Chemicals (234th Dist. Ct. 1999) (dismissal of Ship Channel nuisance action) |
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| Sept. 2, 2019 | LABOR DAY - NO CLASSES | ||||
| 5. | Sept. 4, 2019 | a. Overview of Federal Environmental Control: Congress' Commerce Power, Citizens' Standing to Sue, Rulemaking, and Takings b. Rise of the Federal Statutory Framework c. Review of Administrative Law Principles |
a. PSML 116-127, 137-142 b. PSML 93-104 |
Center for Biological Diversity v. EPA, Civ. No. 18-60102 (8/30/19) |
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| 6. | Sept. 9, 2019 | Clean Water Act: Structure of Act; "Waters of the United States" and Jurisdiction Introduce class exercise |
Project 2: UH Medical Center water project |
PSML 657-673, 683-696 Clean Water Intro PowerPoint (.pdf) Summary of Final Rule on Waters of the United States (2015) Summary of Proposed Final Rule on Waters of the United States (2018) |
EPA Homepage on WOTUS Rulemaking UH Storm Water Outfalls Map |
| 7. | Sept. 11, 2019 | NO CLASS - I will be speaking in California this day | |||
| 8. | Sept. 16, 2019 | Clean Water Act: Definitions of "Point Source", "Discharge" and "Pollutant" |
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PSML 696-704, 714-729 WOTUS Rule Withdrawal Status (Prof. Robin Craig, ABA SEER Fall Meeting 2019) Class selfie |
WOTUS Rule Withdrawal (final, Sept. 12, 2019) Houston Climate Strike, Sept. 20, 2019 |
| 9. | Sept. 18, 2019 | Clean Water Act: TMDLs, Wetlands Protection | PSML 772-801 PSML 729-751 (skim only; will cover in lecture) Wetlands PowerPoint(.pdf) |
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| 10. | Sept. 23, 2019 | Clean Air Act: Clean Air Act: Air Pollutants, NAAQS/SIP Program |
PSML 521-32, 571-595 NAAQS table |
Plain English Guide to the Clean Air Act Clean Air Act chapter from Mastering Environmental Law (2019) Gundy v. United States (June 20, 2019) (note Justice Gorsuch's dissent re non-delegation doctrine) |
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| 11. | Sept. 25, 2019 | Mobile source regulation and the California waiver Clean Air Act: New Source Review/Prevention of Significant Deterioration |
One National Program Rule on Federal Preemption of State Fuel Economy Standards summary (Sept. 19, 2019) Excerpt of SAFE Vehicle proposed rule discussion of preemption and California wavier (Aug. 24, 2018) |
SAFE Vehicle Final Rule Pt. 1 (Sept. 19, 2019) California v. Chao complaint (Sept. 20, 2019) Murray Energy v. EPA (D.C. Cir. 2019) (largely upholding 2015 ozone standard) |
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| 12. | Sept. 30, 2019 | Clean Air Act: NSR/PSD, Acid Rain | Project 3: Magnus Metals | PSML 630-640, 309 n.6-315 Lecture (audio) |
Air Permitting Thresholds Chart Sample Air Permitting Exercise |
| 13 | Oct. 2, 2019 | Clean Air Act: Air Wrap Up on NSR/PSD, Hazardous Air Pollutants, Multi-State Air Quality Issues |
PSML 640-655 Michigan v. EPA (pp. 1-12 only) Air Toxics PowerPoint (.pdf) |
Murray Energy v. EPA (D.C. Cir. 2019) |
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| Oct. 4, 2019 |
OPTIONAL SITE VISIT: San Jacinto River Pits Superfund Site
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Information on San Jacinto River Pits Site: fact sheet and status website. Logistics for Site Tour |
San Jacinto River Pits Superfund Site public meeting, 9/24/19 (scroll down webpage to discussion) San Jacinto River Pits Site Map San Jacinto River Pits Site barge strike (Sept. 19, 2019) |
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| 14. | Oct. 7, 2019 | Climate Change Law - Regulation Under the Federal and State Laws and Regulations |
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PSML 1244-1250, 530-556 |
Texas reply to EPA's demand for GHG regulations (NOT required reading - solely for your reading pleasure) |
| 15. | Oct. 9, 2019 | Climate Change Law - Tort Claims and Litigation |
Climate Tort Discussion Problem Climate Change Litigation PowerPoint (.pdf) Comer v. Murphy Oil, pp. 1-8, 13-30, 34-39 Lecture (audio) |
Bonser-Lain v. TCEQ letter opinion Bonser-Lain v. TCEQ appellate opinion |
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| 16. | Oct. 14, 2019 | RCRA - Solid Waste, Hazardous Waste, TSDs, Generators and Transporters |
Project 4: Vaporific! waste enforcement action |
PSML 345-356, 361-380 Statutory definitions handout Read the solid waste statutory definition and regulatory definition at 40 CFR 261.2, but skim only the lengthy exemptions from the solid waste definition in 40 CFR 261.4 |
Texas waste generation Aerial view of chemical facility waste management operations HBA Lunch registration for 10/16/19 |
| 17. | Oct. 16, 2019 | RCRA - Solid Waste, Hazardous Waste, TSDs, Generators and Transporters RCRA and Environmental Enforcement |
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Definition of Solid Waste review chart HazWaste TSDF PowerPoint (.pdf). |
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| 18. | Oct. 21, 2019 | RCRA Enforcement Exercise |
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Because this class is a participatory simulation of an enforcement action, that portion of the class will not be recorded. |
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| 19. | Oct. 23, 2019 | CERCLA - the National Contingency Plan, Potentially Responsible Parties, Defenses, Liability and Allocation Introduce class exercise - CERCLA settlement negotiation and strategy |
Project 5: CERCLA site negotiations | CERCLA text CERCLA sites in Harris County U.S. Oil Recovery site Sample CERCLA cost recovery complaint |
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20. |
Oct. 28, 2019 | CERCLA - the National Contingency Plan, Potentially Responsible Parties, Defenses, Liability and Allocation |
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Lecture (due to technical difficulties, there is no audio-only file for this lecture) |
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| 21. | Oct. 30, 2019 |
CERCLA - the National Contingency Plan, Potentially Responsible Parties, Defenses, Liability and Allocation |
PSML 458-484 CERCLA settlement allocation worksheet CERCLA Listing Process flowchart |
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| Nov. __, 2019 |
VOLUNTARY FIELD TRIP: Kayak tour of Armand Bayou wetlands
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POSTPONED UNTIL SPRING 2020 DUE TO RAIN-OUT. |
Information on Bay Area Park and Armand Bayou, and directions Logistics for trip |
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| 22. | Nov. 4, 2019 | CERCLA Negotiation and Enforcement Exercise |
No reading assignment- everyone prepare to represent your respective clients in class exercise. You will receive your client package via email. | CERCLA Negotiation Session background fact sheet Lecture (audio) on CERCLA settlement options. No recording of CERCLA negotiations. |
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| 23. | Nov. 6, 2019 | Endangered Species Act - Listing, Endangerment, Consultation Process |
PSML 999-1013, 1029-1058 ESA Introduction PowerPoint (.pdf) |
Revisions to ESA listing process Revisions to Threatened Species Protection Under Section 4d Revisions to Interagency Consultation Under Section 7 |
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| Nov. 8, 2019 |
VOLUNTARY SITE VISIT: Valero Refinery in Manchester neighborhood, Houston, TX.
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Sign-up sheet for Valero Refinery tour Logistics for refinery visit Houston Refinery Visit Agenda Release form for visit |
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| 24. | Nov. 11, 2019 | Endangered Species Act - Private Takings |
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PSML 1058-1083 |
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| 25. | Nov. 13, 2019 | National Environmental Policy Act: Major Actions, FONSI, Environmental Impact Statements |
Guest Lecturer - Charles Irvine, Irvine & Conner PLLC | PSML 911-914, 921-934, 948-955, 962-970, 977-78, 986-992 There is no video or audio for this lecture. |
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| 26. | Nov. 18, 2019 | NEPA: Major Actions, FONSI, Environmental Impact Statements | PSML 955-968, 971-972, 977-992 Lecture (audio) |
Pangolin notice of intent to sue under ESA (11/13/19) . . |
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| 27. | Nov. 20, 2019 | Voluntary review session |
Final exam will take place on Dec. 4 from 9:00 am to noon in Room 144 TUII. |
Sample Final Exam Essay Question 1 and answer key Sample Final Exam Essay Question 2 and answer key Answers to Email Questions for Finals Review (please submit questions before 5 pm on Monday, Dec. 2) |
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