People view and value the land in different ways, and these attitudes have significant implications for the environmental movement. In this episode of the People Places Planet Podcast, ELI Staff Attorney Jarryd Page interviews award-winning author Tony Hiss, who recently published a book titled Rescuing the Planet: Protecting Half the Land to Heal the Earth. The conversation covers the importance of biodiversity and land conservation for climate regulation, the role that industry plays in the environmental movement, and how people experience public spaces.
Environmental laws and the judiciary can play a role in preventing deforestation across Latin America. In this episode, host Georgia Ray speaks with Kristine Perry, a Staff Attorney at ELI, and Juan Corredor-Garcia author of “War on Deforestation” about the ongoing court cases and military action playing a role in environmental protection.
Recent wildfire smoke events have highlighted the value of air quality measurement. But how does it really work, anyways? From the latest technologies and regulations to the unique challenges faced by local governments and tribes, this week's guests discuss the transforming landscape of air quality monitoring. Join hosts Georgia Ray and Ella Stack; and guests Chet Wayland from the EPA, Christopher Lee from Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center, and Miles Keogh from the National Association of Clean Air Agencies for the discussion. This episode is part of ELI's Local Government Environmental Assistance Network (LGEAN).
Fish consumption is on the rise worldwide, and with it, fish farming. Land-based aquaculture and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) offer a lot of environmental promise, but do they live up to the hype? In this episode host Georgia Ray discusses the findings of a new ELI report, Fish Forward. Georgia is joined by Elissa Torres-Soto, Irene Jandoc, and Cynthia R. Harris as they explore the ways to measure the effectiveness of RAS facilities in Maine, the regulatory environment, and how the UAE might be a surprisingly helpful case study for best practice industry standards.
Did you know that sediment could be a critical resource for coastal resilience? In this episode of the People Places Planet Podcast, host Georgia Ray speaks with Derek Brockbank of the Coastal States Organization (CSO) and Dr. Nicole Elko of the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) about sediment placement regulations and the beneficial use of dredged material. Brockbank and Dr. Elko recently published a report that provides a comparative analysis of state and federal regulations on sediment in coastal zones. They discuss the role of sediment on coastal protection and restoration, obstacles to beneficial use, and best practices for policy makers. Lastly, Dr. Elko and Brockbank explain the important work that they do at ASBPA and CSO.
U.S. Supreme Court Limits Federal Jurisdiction Over Wetlands
JD Supra
June 15, 2023
In a 5-4 decision issued on May 25, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court narrowed the applicability of federal Clean Water Act regulatory authority over wetlands that have a relatively permanent connection to other federal waters. The crux of the Court’s holding in Sackett v. EPA is that, in order to be considered waters of the United States (WOTUS), wetlands and other water features must be “indistinguishable” from traditional navigable waters due to a continuous surface connection...