By: Caroline Lavenue 04/12/2018 I. CEQA—Admirable Goals, Bad Reputation It is no surprise that the people most calling for CEQA reform are the developers, contractors, and those whose goals are impeded by the complex CEQA process. CEQA, like any law, is in place to dissuade potentially illegal action. It is procedurally complex, demanding time andContinue reading CEQA—Admirable Goals, Bad Reputation
By: Andrew Angeles Since it was introduced on January 03, 2018 by State Senator Scott Weiner, Senate Bill 827 has been a controversial piece of legislation for California. The bill could have drastic impacts on California’s land use and housing developments. This client alert aims to break down what the bill does and the major provisionsContinue reading An Overview of Senate Bill 827
Desalination: Technological and Legal Issues By Andrew Angeles In the 2016-2017 winter, California received enough rain such that most of the state is no longer facing a severe drought.[1] However, problems associated with water scarcity in a state with 39.25 million people will not be resolved from one wet season. This is especially true whenContinue reading Desalination: Technological and Legal Issues
“Natural” Disasters, Who Can be Held Liable? California Fires and Global Climate Change By Alexander Cervantes In the past month California has been set ablaze by a series of disastrous wildfires. Julia Prodis Sulek, Santa Rosa fire: How a sudden firestorm devastated a city, Oct. 9, 2017. This firestorm is being considered one of the mostContinue reading “Natural” Disasters, Who Can be Held Liable? California Fires and Global Climate Change
How Illegal Water Use for Growing Marijuana is Doing Untold Damage to California’s Environment and Why New Regulations May Exacerbate Rather than Eliminate the Problem By Asha Wiegand-Shahani One of the most egregious yet underreported environmental crimes associated with marijuana is the illicit and illegal use of water to grow the plants that form theContinue reading How Illegal Water Use for Growing Marijuana is Doing Untold Damage to California’s Environment and Why New Regulations May Exacerbate Rather than Eliminate the Problem
Cowboy Culture & Sagebrush Rebellions: Who Should Regulate the Wild Wild West? By: Lauren Marshall The mythos of the American cowboy, homesteading, tending to the land, and early mornings running cattle, isn’t quite as bygone as the lawless days of the wild wild west. Though a rare breed in our rapidly urbanizing culture, the AmericanContinue reading Cowboy Culture & Sagebrush Rebellions: Who Should Regulate the Wild Wild West?
“Ag-Gag” Laws By: Kellen Miller This past September the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit handed down a decision which has the potential to mark a shift in the trajectory of “ag-gag” laws. The term “ag-gag,” which was made popular in 2011 in an opinion piece by food journalist and former columnist forContinue reading “Ag-Gag” Laws
“Clean Meat” Soon to be on the Table By: Axl Kaminski Is this the answer for environmentally concerned citizens, not yet ready to give up their carnivorous ways for a more eco-friendly, plant-based diet? The term “clean meat” can mean a variety of products which may be synthesized from pea-protein-derived heme (the non-protein component ofContinue reading “Clean Meat” Soon to be on the Table
Climate Change Refugees: Regional Agreements Can Better Fill the Gap in Legal Protection By: Kelsey Moe Current estimates suggest that climate change could cause over 200 million people to be displaced by 2050.[1] In a report introduced by the UNHCR, it found that “climate change exposes people to increased vulnerability and creates impetus in driving themContinue reading Climate Change Refugees: Regional Agreements Can Better Fill the Gap in Legal Protection
Investor-Owned Utilities Strategic Investments to Preempt Grid Defection and the “Utility Death Spiral” By Micaela Harms “Utility companies and policy makers must take the potential for grid defection seriously when evaluating energy supply strategies.”[1] Utility companies will face increased competition from off-the-grid systems as technological advancements and cost reductions make these systemsContinue reading Investor-Owned Utilities Strategic Investments to Preempt Grid Defection and the “Utility Death Spiral”
