Co-sponsored by:
The Environmental Law Institute & DC Bar’s Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Section
Each summer, ELI convenes a complimentary seminar series that offers an introduction to the legal and policy foundations of environmental protection in the United States. ELI’s Summer School is a series of brown-bag lunch seminars taught by experts in their fields, introducing the audience to the major environmental statutes (including NEPA, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, TSCA, RCRA, and CERCLA) and land use law.
Who should attend:The series is designed for undergraduates, law students, and graduate students. The series is also appropriate for professionals seeking an introduction or reintroduction to environmental law and policy.
Land Use and the Law
Land use planning touches everyone. This course focused on the primary elements of land use planning law: 1) zoning, 2) comprehensive planning, and 3) eminent domain. The faculty described the history of Euclidean or "suburban" zoning and urban planning and more recent trends in approaches to planning communities. They also discussed smart growth, transportation issues, and green building initiatives and describe the inter-agency cooperation that led to holistic approaches to planning land, building, water, and infrastructure needs to reduce energy costs and climate change impacts.
Faculty:
Gus Bauman, Of Counsel, Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.
James McElfish, Jr., Senior Attorney and Director, Sustainable Use of Land Program, ELI
Materials: