Environmental Justice (ELI Summer School, 2019)

When
July 30, 2019 12:00 pm — 2:00 pm
Where
Washington, DC (and via webinar)

Each summer, ELI convenes a complimentary seminar series that offers an introduction to the legal and policy foundations of environmental protection in the United States.

ELI's Summer School is a series of brown-bag lunch seminars taught by experts in their fields, introducing the audience to the major environmental statutes (including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)), land use law, and environmental justice. Faculty will also incorporate major regulatory and judicial updates to the laws.

Who will benefit: All are welcome. Students and emerging professionals will have unique opportunities to learn, hear updates, ask questions, and network. The series is intended for:

  • undergraduates,
  • law students and graduate students, and
  • working professionals new to or looking for a refresher course in environmental law (such as interns, summer clerks, and associates, or second-career professionals).

Environmental Justice

ELI’s annual Summer School Series concluded with a special ELI 50th Anniversary session to introduce participants to the opportunities and obstacles within the realm of environmental justice. 2019 marks the official 50th Anniversary of the Environmental Law Institute and ELI is reflecting back on our important work in shaping environmental law and governance in the United States and imagining an even more impactful future. The month of July focused on environmental justice and vulnerable communities, which has led to the addition of this signature summer school session, new for 2019!

Although no federal environmental justice laws have been enacted, federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have made staunch efforts to work with other federal agencies to integrate environmental justice into policies and practices. This session explored the foundations, current opportunities, and obstacles facing environmental justice. Faculty discussed the following:

  • NGO advocacy efforts including community-led public health initiatives and community-based climate resilience programs,
  • inclusion of communities in the decision-making process,
  • federal, state, tribal, and local government addressing environmental justice,
  • and methods for including multiple stakeholders in environmental justice conversations and processes

Faculty:
Ryan E. Emanuel, Ph.D, Associate Professor and University Faculty Scholar, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University
Mike Ewall, Founder and Executive Director, Energy Justice Network
Tamara Toles O'Laughlin, North America Director, 350.org
Carlton Waterhouse, Ph.D., Professor, Howard University School of Law

Presentations:
Ryan Emanuel presentation
Mike Ewall presentation
Tamara Toles O'Laughlin presentation
Carlton Waterhouse presentation

Supplemental Materials:
Energy and Environmental Justice
(submitted by Mike Ewall)
Principals of Environmental Justice (submitted by Mike Ewall)

**See the entire Summer School 2019 schedule HERE.**