Region: National
Do Trump-Appointed Judges Differ when Deciding Environmental Cases?
Student analysis identifies disparities in judicial outcomes
(This post was authored by Grayson Peters, a JD candidate at Berkeley Law and CLEE research assistant.) Do federal judges appointed by former President Trump rule differently in environmental disputes than judges appointed by other presidents? An analysis by two Berkeley Law students finds that they do in a few key areas of judicial decision-making. …
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CONTINUE READINGCongrats to Ann Carlson on Taking Top Post at NHTSA
Steve Cliff returns to California ARB
Belated congratulations to our UCLA Law colleague Ann Carlson on taking the top post at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Ann has been on leave from UCLA since being appointed as NHTSA’s chief counsel in 2021. She was recently tapped to be the Acting Administrator of the agency, filling the role that Steve Cliff …
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CONTINUE READINGKey House Races in California
Three seats are up for grabs, and the races are very tight.
Three U.S. House races in California are rated as toss-ups. They could well be part of a Republican wave in November. On the other hand, if the wave falters, these seats could be crucial to control of the House, or to how much of a Republican margin Kevin McCarthy will be able to work with …
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CONTINUE READINGSenate 2022: Wisconsin
Of all the states in play, the Wisconsin race may have the sharpest contrast between view on climate change.
Wisconsin has been a swing state in recent presidential elections. The Senate race there could help determine control of the Senate. The incumbent Republican is a climate change denier. The challenge highlights his support for climate action. Ron Johnson (R). Johnson, the incumbent, has a 7% lifetime LCV score, meaning he voted against the environment …
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CONTINUE READINGElection 2022: Governors
Four tight races will have big impacts on their states.
Although their powers vary in different states, governors are key figures in setting and implementing climate and energy policies. There are several very tight races that could have significant policy impacts. They also have indirect impacts via the governor’s role in electoral matters. Elections in these four states are considered toss-ups. The Democrats are all …
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CONTINUE READINGAre carbon taxes a thing of the past?
What is the role for carbon pricing in the future of decarbonization policy?
That’s the question implicitly raised by this article in the New York Times from late August. The article surveys a range of criticisms of the use of carbon taxes as a tool to address greenhouse gas emissions, and criticisms of the focus of many economists on carbon taxes as the primary tool to address climate …
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CONTINUE READINGSenate 2022: North Carolina
An anti-environmentalist is favored but the challenger has a fighting chance.
The Senate race in North Carolina may be a bit of a stretch for Democrats, but it’s not out of reach. The contrast between the candidates on environmental issues is particularly stark. Cheri Beasley (D). Her website describes her as “a mom, former public defender, judge, and the first Black woman to serve as Chief …
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CONTINUE READINGNational Parks, Climate Change, and Active Management
When should park managers response to fire risk and climate change through active management?
This summer, the Earth Island Institute filed a lawsuit challenging active management projects in Yosemite National Park – those projects involve the cutting of trees to reduce the risk of fire (or that is the explanation of the National Park Service for the projects). The tree cutting was begun this past year, and the National …
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CONTINUE READINGScenarios and Uncertainty
Imagining different futures can be the best way to think through options when we don’t know the odds.
In environmental law, we’re often operating at the limits of knowledge about the natural world and human behavior. Climate change is well understood in some ways, but it will set off a chain of reactions that we only partly understand. It’s also difficult to predict the future of ecosystems, future energy prices, technological changes, and …
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CONTINUE READINGElection 2022: One Month to Go
A close election with big potential policy impacts
We’re now two months from Election Day. With control of the House and Senate at stake, the election will shape the remainder of Biden’s term, including climate policy. Biden’s ability to appointment officials and judges is at stake in the Senate. Republican control of the House would make new energy or environmental legislation extremely difficult …
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