Research Reports

ELI publishes Research Reports available for free download that present the analysis and conclusions of the policy studies ELI undertakes to improve environmental law and policy. These reports contribute to education of the profession and disseminate diverse points of view and opinions to stimulate a robust and creative exchange of ideas. Those publications, which express opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Institute, its Board of Directors, or funding organizations, exemplify ELI’s commitment to dialogue with all sectors.
Improving Compensatory Mitigation Project Review
Rebecca Kihslinger, James M. McElfish, Jr., and Dominic Scicchitano
August 2020

Healthy wetlands benefit our environment and economy in a number of ways, from providing habitat to wildlife and fisheries, to improving water quality, to offering opportunities for recreation.

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Whose Water? (report cover)
Rights and Resources Initiative & Environmental Law Institute
August 2020

Clearly defined and legally secure freshwater tenure rights are essential to Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ livelihoods and food security, as well as to countries’ efforts to achieve sustainable development priorities and ensure climate resilience. However, the extent of the legal recognition of these rights to water remains largely unknown and unmonitored.

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Environment 2021
James M. McElfish, Jr., and Jay Austin
July 2020

The Trump Administration has taken dramatic and sweeping steps to remake federal environmental regulation and redefine the relationships among state and federal environmental decisions. This report, which assesses these steps, helps environmental practitioners, policymakers, and the public-at-large think about what lies ahead, looking particularly at our nation’s ability to address new problems and confront as yet unsolved challenges like environmental justice. The report identifies key categories of action affecting environmental regulation and examines some possible future outcomes.

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Tobie Bernstein
July 2020

Dry cleaners have been a common feature of many commercial and mixed-use areas throughout the United States. Many dry cleaning facilities use tetrachloroethylene (also known as perchloroethylene, PCE, or perc), an organic solvent with well-documented health effects.

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Stephanie Oehler, Jay Austin
July 2020

Adaptive management is the process by which programs and projects are amended over time in response to assessment of monitoring data and other feedback related to their implementation or performance; it ensures they remain science-backed and effective. The concept is increasingly being adopted by the decision-making bodies that are facilitating restoration efforts in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, as well as in other coastal conservation and restoration contexts.

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