Fall 2017 Symposium: Whose Mess Is It? Federalism and Environmental Regulation in a New Political Climate
Schedule & Info:
Thursday, October 19, 2017 Caplin Pavilion |
Federal regulation has long been seen as vital for the protection of the environment. Accordingly, much of the policy debate about environmentalism focuses on the role the EPA and other federal agencies play in codifying national protections.
However, the new administration has signaled through rhetoric and action that it will move towards deregulation of federal environmental protections. The administration's second executive order directed review and approval of the Dakota Access and Keystone XL Pipelines. Two months later, a March 28th executive order emphasized deregulation of energy development on federal lands. Later, in June, the administration publicly announced its intent to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. In response to these policies, other groups have pledged to uphold environmental protections in the absence of federal oversight. Attempts to deregulate the energy sector are being met with legal challenges by non-profit groups and are being opposed by some state and local governments. Additionally, twenty-three states, including Virginia, have committed to fulfill the aspirations of the Paris Agreement. Our symposium will look at these issues as they apply closer to home. The Chesapeake Bay and Offshore Energy Development panels will explore past and current examples of state and local cooperation on regional environmental issues. While federal agencies have played a key role, we examine the possibly of lessened federal involvement brought by this new political climate. In doing so we hope this discussion will provide insight into broader issues of federalism and environmental regulation. Schedule:
9:30 a.m. Welcome Breakfast 9:45 a.m. Introductory Remarks Cale Jaffe, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Virginia School of Law 10:00 a.m. Panel I: Bigger Than Any One State: The Chesapeake Bay Co-Sponsored by the Center for Oceans Law and Policy Speakers: Stephen Macko, Professor of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia Jon Mueller, Vice-President for Litigation, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Mary Rafferty, Executive Director, Virginia Conservation Network 11:00 a.m. Panel II: Federal Waters, State Coastlines: Offshore Energy Development in the Southeast Co-Sponsored by the Virginia Environmental Law Forum Speakers: John Uhrin, Councilmember, Virginia Beach City Council Sierra Weaver, Senior Attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center Jay Ford, Executive Director and Shorekeeper, Eastern Virginia Shorekeeper 12:00 p.m. Lunch Provided by Brazos Tacos 12:15 p.m. Keynote Roundtable Speakers: Caroline Cecot, Assistant Professor of Law, Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University Michael Livermore, Associate Professor of Law, University of Virginia School of Law Hannah Wiseman, Professor, Florida State University College of Law |