John Muir Archives - Legal Planet

John Muir

A(n Admittedly Subjective) List of America’s Very Best National Parks

(This is the fourth in a series of posts this week commemorating the 100th anniversary of the creation of the National Park Service.) I love lists. Whether it’s a compilation of the year’s top movies, the best restaurants in California (out-doing even the best restaurants in Bozeman where I grew up), or the best rock …

Continue reading “A(n Admittedly Subjective) List of America’s Very Best National Parks”

The Battle to Restore Hetch Hetchy Valley Moves to the Courts

New Lawsuit Claims Dam and Reservoir in Yosemite National Park Violate California Constitution

This week, the longstanding battle over the dam and reservoir that have for a century flooded Yosemite National Park’s storied Hetch Hetchy Valley moves to the courts. A new lawsuit, filed by conservationists on the 177th anniversary of John Muir’s birth, asserts that the City of San Francisco’s continued operation of O’Shaughnessy Dam and Hetch Hetchy Reservoir …

Continue reading “The Battle to Restore Hetch Hetchy Valley Moves to the Courts”

An Unhappy Anniversary for Hetch Hetchy

Is It Time to Consider Restoring Yosemite’s Hetch Hetchy Valley?

December 19th marks a sad event in American environmental history. It was 100 years ago today that President Woodrow Wilson signed the Raker Act, authorizing the City of San Francisco to build a dam that would flood the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park in order to deliver water supplies to San Francisco. Contemporary …

Continue reading “An Unhappy Anniversary for Hetch Hetchy”

Draining Hetch Hetchy — Some History for San Francisco’s “Measure F”

San Franciscans will be voting next week on Measure F to study the draining of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park. Hetch Hetchy, for those who don’t know, is a spectacular, glacier-formed valley of equal proportion to its neighbor Yosemite Valley. Congress authorized a dam in 1913 to provide public hydroelectric power and a …

Continue reading “Draining Hetch Hetchy — Some History for San Francisco’s “Measure F””

John Muir’s Birthday

If environmentalism had saints John Muir, born on April 21, 1838, would surely be on the list. He is best known for founding the Sierra Club and fighting to save Yosemite.

Join Our Mailing List

Climate policy is changing rapidly. Stay in the loop with expert analysis via email Monday - Friday.

The Dangerous Hypocrisy of Elon Musk

Tesla CEO Elon Musk wants to slash government and regulations for a Trump administration—even though California regulations helped build his companies.

The Morning After

Given Trump’s victory, what can be done to save the planet?

California Must Not Abandon its Climate Leadership

California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard has been successful. CARB should update the program without undermining its fundamental features.

NEPA in the Supreme Court (Part I)

A pending case could mean radical retrenchment of a foundational environmental law.

Still Crazy After All These Years

There’s been an alarming growth of conspiracy theories, often antisemitic ones, to explain extreme weather events.

We Need a Circular Economy for EV Batteries

California got close to making suppliers ensure EV batteries are managed responsibly at end of life. Here’s why 2025 should be the year California creates a circular economy for EV batteries.

The Dangerous Embrace of Convenient Narratives Over Inconvenient Truths

As it turns out, Nature doesn’t care what stories you post on social media or spin on TV.

New Environmental Laws Focus on Public Health

Many of the environmental-focused bills that the governor signed this year involve ways to alleviate the health disparities faced by frontline communities.

The Yankees Already Beat the Dodgers at One Thing

The Yankees recently dropped Hess Oil from their outfield scoreboard. But in LA, the Dodgers’ Big Oil sponsorship with 76 gas is on full display in the 2024 World Series.

John Muir

New Lawsuit Claims Dam and Reservoir in Yosemite National Park Violate California Constitution

Is It Time to Consider Restoring Yosemite’s Hetch Hetchy Valley?

Join Our Mailing List

Climate policy is changing rapidly. Stay in the loop with expert analysis via email Monday - Friday.

TRENDING

Notes from COP29 in Baku, where the subject of real money, U.S. politics, and other tricky factors are converging.

The clock is ticking, but there’s still time for a few important last things.

The Burden on Ratepayers Is Not Sustainable

Select mechanisms can help ensure that energy projects deliver meaningful benefits for California communities

New Trump administration policies will impact the energy industry, but maybe not in the ways Trump supporters expect, writes Guest Contributor Allan Marks.

New CLEE report examines a prerequisite for fair and effective water markets

Understanding how causation applies for NEPA reviews.

Our guide to understanding how causation applies for NEPA reviews.

Governor Newsom has called a special session for December 2nd. How can California lawmakers ensure California’s climate and environmental progress in the years ahead?

Here’s why the Supreme Court should reject radical arguments for limiting environmental impact statements.