Law & Policy

Law student wins prestigious environmental law scholarship

Dawn Euer, a first year law student at Roger Williams University School of Law (RWU), received a scholarship to attend the American Law Institute/American Bar Association Course of Study on Environmental Law in Washington, DC from February 6-8, 2008. The course was cosponsored by the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) and The Smithsonian Institution.  The Course of Study in environmental law is considered to be the leading annual program and meeting for attorneys, private and governmental, who are engaged in, or are planning to engage in, the practice of environmental law.

The experience afforded Dawn the opportunity to meet other students and practicing attorneys as well as pursue her interests in environmental law by hearing leading experts discuss Congressional Developments; Clean Air and Clean Water Acts Developments; U.S. Supreme Court Roundup; CERCLA, RCRA, and Brownfields Developments; State and Federal Enforcement Proceedings and Citizens’' Suits; Global Warming; Green Buildings; Ethical Issues in the Practice of Environmental Law; and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Environmental Justice.

RWU team recognized for accomplishments at moot court competition

Moot court team members Ashley Medeiros, Greg Klipp, and Jeannine Casselman

The 2008 National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition was held on Thursday, February 21 through Saturday, February 23 at Pace Law School in White Plains, New York. RWU entered one team consisting of returning member Jeannine Casselman (3L) and new members Ashley Medeiros and Greg Klipp, both 2Ls.  Seventy law schools (over 200 law students) competed in the three-day competition.  The RWU team received “best oralist” in all three preliminary rounds—a distinction bestowed on each team member.  The team advanced to the quarterfinal round, an impressive feat, which culled the competitors from 70 teams to 27.  The team did not move on to the semifinal round but should be congratulated for their efforts on what was “an extremely close decision,” according to the three quarterfinal round judges.  This year’s overall winner was Lewis & Clark Law School. 

Lecture series features community coastal restoration efforts

On February 28, 2008, as part of the Marine Affairs Institute’s Lecture Series, Craig Woolcott, Coastal Restoration Specialist with NOAA Fisheries Restoration Center in Washington, D.C., gave a presentation to law students on “NOAA’s Community-Based Restoration Program (CRP): Implementing Coastal Habitat Restoration through National, Regional and Local Partnerships.”  Craig focused on how the restoration center plans, implements, and funds coastal restoration projects throughout the United States

Marine renewable energy focus of upcoming symposium, conference

On March 3, 2008, Megan Higgins attended the first meeting of Woman of Wind Energy in Boston, Massachusetts.  The meeting assembled professionals involved in various aspects of implementing, funding, researching and permitting offshore windfarms in New England.  It was a good opportunity to inform those attending about the Marine Affairs Institute’s upcoming Marine Law Symposium, entitled
“A Viable Marine Renewable Energy Industry: Solutions to Legal, Economic, and Policy Challenges.”  The symposium, scheduled for October 23-24, 2008, will explore the means to achieve a viable marine renewable energy industry for the United States including offshore wind; hydrokinetics (wave, current and tidal); and ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC).  The invited panelists will discuss possible solutions for the nascent U.S. marine renewable energy sector from current legal, economic and policy challenges.  These include: jurisdictional and permitting/licensing schemes; research and development for environmental, technological and human dimension issues; economic/financial incentives; and role of the public and nongovernmental organizations in these areas. 

The goal is to describe means of supporting a marine renewable energy industry, while addressing local, tribal, state, federal and public needs related to the protection, conservation, and management of our marine resources, as well as co-existing with the many uses of the marine environment.  In April, Megan will be participating in the “Global Marine Renewable Energy Conference: Achieving renewable goals with ocean energy resources” in New York City to further explore the status of marine renewables both nationally and internationally. 

Summer program addresses issues such as climate change, marine energy, and Law of the Sea

2008 Marine Law Summer Program
Roger Williams University School of Law
Bristol, Rhode Island
Session 1:  June 8 – June 28
Session 2:  July 6 - July 26
The 2008 Marine Law Summer Program offers a suite of maritime and ocean and coastal law courses which are taught by recognized faculty members in these fields.  Individuals attending the Summer Program include RWU School of Law J.D. and J.D./MMA candidates, J.D. candidates from other law schools, non-law graduate students, teachers, citizen advocates, practicing attorneys, planners and state and federal agency personnel.

The two 3-week sessions offer students a choice of three classes of 2 credits. During each session, there are a total of 10 class meetings.  Morning session courses run from 9:00 to 11:45 with a break; afternoon classes will follow the same format between 1:00 and 3:45. Generally, Wednesdays are set aside for field experiences and guest lectures.

The 2008 program classes will include: Energy, Development and Climate Change; Law of the Sea; Marine Biodiversity Law; Marine Salvage Law; Maritime Legislation & Regulatory Law;
Mediation Skills

The RI MCLE Commission has accredited each course for 20 credits (no ethics credits apply).
For more information and an application, visit the institute’s website at http://law.rwu.edu/sites/marineaffairs/summerprg/.

Sea Grant Law Fellows update

Tom Murphy, 2L
Working with the R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) and the URI Coastal Resources Center/Rhode Island Sea Grant, Tom undertook research on legal tools for protecting water-dependent uses.  Tom illustrated the many ways for states and local governments to protect water-dependent uses, such as zoning, tax policies, performance standards, and the public trust doctrine.  In his memo to the CRMC executive director, Tom explained the policies that several states have used to protect water-dependent uses and how those policies might be beneficial to Rhode Island’s goals for waterfront planning.  Specifically, his research focused on the application of performance standards in Connecticut and Washington and the transfer of those standards to Rhode Island, as well as the application of Massachusetts’ Designated Ports Area program, which has employed the public trust doctrine, to Rhode Island.

Alicia Schaffner, 2L
Alicia w rote an article entitled “Court Grants Stay of Injunction in Navy Sonar Case” for the SandBar, a National Sea Grant Law Center publication (see: www.olemiss.edu/orgs/SGLC/National/SandBar%20PDF/sandbar6.4.pdf).  Alicia examined the recent litigation surrounding the effects of the Navy’s use of sonar testing on marine mammals.