I am deeply honored to be the chair of the Environmental and Energy Law Section and look forward to a productive year. There are several new developments that present unique challenges. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in June issued a health advisory for PFOA of 0.004 parts per trillion (4 parts per quadrillion), which is … Continued

Have We Lost Our Trust in the Supreme Court? It is undeniable that we are living in historic times. Times where uncertainty, fear and rage have become the normal state of emotions for most of our population within the United States. As of June 1, the Supreme Court had yet to file the 33 opinions … Continued

The theme of this issue is environmental justice. When the editors of The New York Environmental Lawyer began discussing “themed issues” earlier this year, I was a little uncertain as to what would be gained. After reviewing the articles, however, I am now excited about the concept because I learned more from this issue of The New York … Continued

Welcome to the Environmental Justice issue! We are pleased to present our first themed issue of The New York Environmental Lawyer. Environmental justice is in the news, discussed in legislatures, raised by environmental advocates and a significant issue for both New York State and the Biden administration. And now the New York State Constitution addresses it … Continued

Introduction This third edition of the Law Student Corner highlights students and their work at eight law schools: NYU School of Law, New York Law School, Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, Vanderbilt Law School, Columbia Law School, CUNY School of Law, Touro Law and Buffalo School of Law. If you know any … Continued

FACTS ON THE GROUND When I started this Blog, 47 editions ago, I did not expect the Facts on the Ground section to grow the way it has. But it is now clear that climate change will continue to produce lethal and costly extreme weather events around the planet all year long. No one and … Continued

In New York City, approximately 450 community gardens on city-owned land provide widely recognized health benefits, natural settings, agricultural and social value, and ecological importance. These gardens are flexible, functional natural spaces—imagined, designed, and maintained from the ground up to meet community needs and advance environmental justice. New data show that 80% of community gardens … Continued

This edition of DEC Dispatch highlights the recent work product of New York State’s Climate Justice Working Group (CJWG) specifically the publication of New York State’s Draft Disadvantaged Communities (DAC) criteria. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (NYSDEC) Offices of Environmental Justice (OEJ) and General Counsel (OGC), along with the New York State Energy Research … Continued

On March 21, 2022, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released its long-awaited proposed rules on climate risk disclosures, which amend and build upon existing climate-change disclosure rules and guidance (collectively, the “proposed rules”).1 The proposed rules aim to enhance and standardize disclosures on climate-related risks that are likely to have a material impact on … Continued

On May 18, 2022, the Environmental and Energy Law Section of the New York State Bar Association held its Annual Legislative Forum. It was open to the public without charge and was the third consecutive event held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The billing for the event was: New York has been at the … Continued