Co-sponsored by:
The Environmental Law Institute &
DC Bar’s Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Section
Each summer the ELI Summer School convenes a complimentary seminar series that serves as an introduction to the legal and policy foundations of environmental protection in the United States. The weekly brown-bag lunch seminars are taught by experts in their fields, and introduce the audience to the major environmental statutes (including NEPA, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, TSCA, RCRA and CERCLA) and land use law. The series began with an afternoon careers seminar followed by a networking reception.
Who should attend: This series is designed for summer associates, law clerks and interns. The series is also appropriate for attorneys or working professionals seeking an introduction to environmental law and policy.
Land Use & the Law
Land use planning touches everyone. This session focused on the primary elements of land use planning law: 1) zoning, 2) comprehensive planning, and 3) eminent domain. The speakers described the history of Euclidean or "suburban" zoning and urban planning, and more recent trends in approaches to planning communities. They also discussed smart growth, transportation issues, and green building initiatives, and describe the inter-agency cooperation that led to holistic approaches to planning land, building, water, and infrastructure needs to reduce energy costs and climate change impacts.
Faculty: Gus Bauman, Of Counsel, Beveridge & Diamond Sara Bronin, Associate Professor of Law & Program Director, Center for Energy & Environmental Law, University of Connecticut
