Goodbye CCELP, Hello CLEE

Three years ago, the U.C. Berkeley Law School launched a new research center devoted to environmental law and policy: the California Center for Environmental Law & Policy (CCELP).  From its inception, CCELP has worked on a variety of energy matters.  However, since 2006 the intersection of energy and environmental policy has become both more obvious and more important.  Climate change may be the best illustration: the majority of climate change issues have a strong energy component.

CCELP has responded by adding additional intellectual horsepower on the energy law and policy fronts.  Last year, for example, Steve Weissman concluded a distinguished career as administrative law judge and policy adviser with the California Public Utilities Commission to spearhead CCELP’s energy law and policy initiatives as the Center’s new Associate Director.  And CCELP faculty co-director Dan Farber, in addition to his academic duties at Berkeley Law, recently accepted an appointment as Chair of U.C. Berkeley’s Energy and Resources Group (ERG).  ERG is an interdepartmental, campus-wide unit that promotes sustainability and energy programs.

With this increased focus on energy matters, we at CCELP decided it was time to change our name to reflect that fact. So, effective this month, CCELP has officially morphed into the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE).  The Center’s new moniker more accurately reflects our Center’s multifaceted and interdisciplinary focus.  CLEE will continue to tackle the most formidable energy and environmental challenges facing California, the nation and the planet.

Energy, Farber, Law, Policy, U.C. Berkeley, Weissman