Introduction
As Professor Robert Percival notes in this issue, the past twenty-five years have seen sweeping and unexpected changes in environmental law. Despite the surprises, as Professor Percival also notes, it has become clear that the environmental laws of the United States are having a deep global influence, and that the field is so vibrant that it is sure to be active in another twenty-five years. The Virginia Environmental Law Journal has contributed to the field throughout these crucial and fascinating years, and some of the nation's best environmental law scholars helped the journal celebrate that fact. On March 29-31, 2006 the VirginiaEnvironmental Law Journal convened its Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Symposium, The Next 25 Years: Interdisciplinary Directions in Environmental Law.
The symposium featured a wide array of scholars and topics, but the focus was charting and discussing the likely future of the field. Dean John Jeffries, Jr. welcomed symposium participants, and offered remarks on the University of Virginia School of Law environmental law program. Professors Robert Percival and Hope Babcock, whose work appears in this issue, joined Tom Sansonetti, former Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources Division, in an opening discussion of the future of environmental law both in the United States and abroad.
Charles Di Leva, chief counsel of the World Bank's Socially Sustainable Development and International Law Practice Group of the World Bank, presented the keynote address. His address examined those uniquely global environmental challenges that will require bold and innovative international responses. Thoughtful responses to Mr. Di Leva's address were delivered by Professor Jon Cannon, Turner T. Smith, Jr., head of Hunton & Williams' international environmental practice and Gary Guzy, senior vice president of Marsh & Co. Environmental Insurance and Risk Management.
Ken Feinberg, the former Special Master of the September 11 Victim's Compensation Fund discussed the impact of the compensation fund on the debate over how regulation interacts with public risk. Professor Jason Czarnezki discussed his work on the rebirth of the common law as applied to interpreting expansive environmental *vi legislation. Rick Middleton, president of the Southern Environmental Law Center, depicted the serious challenges facing environmental advocates in the South over the coming decade. Professor Robert Adler, whose work appears in this issue, took the audience deep into the ecological and human history of the Grand Canyon in his discussion of the uniqueness of the field of ecological restoration. A student audience discussed career opportunities within the world of nongovernmental organizations with Wildlaw attorney Rachel Doughty and Greg Edwards, the director of the Nature Conservancy's Market Leader Program. Professor Vicki L. Been focused on the urban experience, presenting her work on the value of community gardens in low-income and minority neighborhoods. Professor and former Virginia Law Dean Richard A. Merrill, and Margaret Mellon, the director of the Union of Concerned Scientists' Food and Environment Program, discussed the intricate and crucial field of environment risk assessment. The symposium concluded with a panel discussion featuring Karin Sheldon, associate dean at Vermont Law School and director of the Vermont Environmental Law Center, K.W. James Rochow, and Professor Nicholas Robinson.
The Journal would like to thank the many people who made the symposium a success, including: Professor Jon Cannon, who continually devotes time and energy to supporting the journal's endeavors; professors Babcock, Percival, and Adler and Dean Sheldon, for their work that appears in this issue; Virginia Law Dean John Jeffries, who announced the law school's new environmental law clinic at the symposium; the Virginia Law School Foundation; the Virginia Law School staff, including Adam Gutterman and David Holsapple; the Journal's National Advisory Board, especially Turner Smith, who contributed to several panels at the symposium, and Professor Emeritus Richard Collins, for his enthusiastic and unfailing support.
We are grateful for the support that has enabled the Virginia Environmental Law Journal to flourish, and we look forward to many more decades of publishing the finest in environmental law scholarship.
The symposium featured a wide array of scholars and topics, but the focus was charting and discussing the likely future of the field. Dean John Jeffries, Jr. welcomed symposium participants, and offered remarks on the University of Virginia School of Law environmental law program. Professors Robert Percival and Hope Babcock, whose work appears in this issue, joined Tom Sansonetti, former Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources Division, in an opening discussion of the future of environmental law both in the United States and abroad.
Charles Di Leva, chief counsel of the World Bank's Socially Sustainable Development and International Law Practice Group of the World Bank, presented the keynote address. His address examined those uniquely global environmental challenges that will require bold and innovative international responses. Thoughtful responses to Mr. Di Leva's address were delivered by Professor Jon Cannon, Turner T. Smith, Jr., head of Hunton & Williams' international environmental practice and Gary Guzy, senior vice president of Marsh & Co. Environmental Insurance and Risk Management.
Ken Feinberg, the former Special Master of the September 11 Victim's Compensation Fund discussed the impact of the compensation fund on the debate over how regulation interacts with public risk. Professor Jason Czarnezki discussed his work on the rebirth of the common law as applied to interpreting expansive environmental *vi legislation. Rick Middleton, president of the Southern Environmental Law Center, depicted the serious challenges facing environmental advocates in the South over the coming decade. Professor Robert Adler, whose work appears in this issue, took the audience deep into the ecological and human history of the Grand Canyon in his discussion of the uniqueness of the field of ecological restoration. A student audience discussed career opportunities within the world of nongovernmental organizations with Wildlaw attorney Rachel Doughty and Greg Edwards, the director of the Nature Conservancy's Market Leader Program. Professor Vicki L. Been focused on the urban experience, presenting her work on the value of community gardens in low-income and minority neighborhoods. Professor and former Virginia Law Dean Richard A. Merrill, and Margaret Mellon, the director of the Union of Concerned Scientists' Food and Environment Program, discussed the intricate and crucial field of environment risk assessment. The symposium concluded with a panel discussion featuring Karin Sheldon, associate dean at Vermont Law School and director of the Vermont Environmental Law Center, K.W. James Rochow, and Professor Nicholas Robinson.
The Journal would like to thank the many people who made the symposium a success, including: Professor Jon Cannon, who continually devotes time and energy to supporting the journal's endeavors; professors Babcock, Percival, and Adler and Dean Sheldon, for their work that appears in this issue; Virginia Law Dean John Jeffries, who announced the law school's new environmental law clinic at the symposium; the Virginia Law School Foundation; the Virginia Law School staff, including Adam Gutterman and David Holsapple; the Journal's National Advisory Board, especially Turner Smith, who contributed to several panels at the symposium, and Professor Emeritus Richard Collins, for his enthusiastic and unfailing support.
We are grateful for the support that has enabled the Virginia Environmental Law Journal to flourish, and we look forward to many more decades of publishing the finest in environmental law scholarship.
