Environmental Law Syllabus for Legal Studies and Paralegal Students

This is a model syllabus for an Environmental Law course for undergraduate legal studies or paralegal students. 

1. Introduction to Environmental Law and Policy.
   1. History of American Environmental Law--Federal, State, Local Regulation
           CALI Lesson: Climate Change 1: Introduction to Climate Change (ENV31)
      
           CALI Lesson: Climate Change 3: An Introduction to and Overview of Climate Change  Adaptation (ENV33)
      
           CALI Lesson: Climate Change 5: Addressing Climate Change Through Existing Environmental Statutes (ENV35)
      
           CALI Lesson: Introduction to Administrative Law for Environmental & Natural Resources Law Students (ENV15)
   2. Environmental Regulation
      1. Moral Basis of Pollution Control
      2. Inadequacy of Common Law
              CALI Lesson: Climate Change 4: Addressing Climate Change Through the Common Law (ENV34)

   3. Paralegal Tasks In Environmental Law - Overview
      1. Use of Computer and Other Specific Skills in Environmental Practice
              CALI Lesson: Statutory Interpretation (LCS03)
      2. Due Diligence In Transactional Law
      3. Employment Opportunities
      4. Unique Ethical Issues

2. Sources of Environmental Law
   1. Constitutional Issues
           CALI Lesson: Commerce Clause Issues in Environmental Law (ENV16)
           CALI Lesson: Constitutional Aspects of Environmental Law: Federal Preemption (ENV21)
           CALI Lesson: Constitutional Standing in Environmental Citizen Suits (ENV18)
           CALI Lesson: Regulatory Taking Issues in Environmental Law (ENV17)
   2. Common Law
   3. Executive Order
   4. International Law
           CALI Lesson: Introduction to International Law for Environmental Law Students (ENV13)
           CALI Lesson: Climate Change Mitigation: The International Dimension (ENV32)
           CALI Lesson: International Environmental Law: Implementing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in the United States (ENV14)
   5. Related Local Law, e.g., Zoning

3. Administrative Procedure for Environmental Regulation
   1. Role of Agencies
          CALI Lesson: Introduction to Administrative Law for Environmental & Natural Resources Law Students (ENV15)
   2. Types of Agency Actions
   3. Freedom of Information Act
   4. Cfr/Fr
   5. Hearings, Agency Decision, Appeals
   6. Role of Paralegal in Administrative Law

4. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
   1. NEPA: A Procedural Statute.
           CALI Lesson: NEPA Basics (ENV04)
   2. Role of Federal Agencies And Citizens
   3. Environmental Impact Statements

5. Air Quality Regulation 
   1. Air Quality and Related Issues
      1. Mobile and Stationary Sources
              CALI Lesson: Clean Air Act Stationary Sources and Criteria Pollutants (ENV11)
              CALI Lesson: Clean Air Act Stationary Sources and Hazardous Air Pollutants (ENV12)
      2. New Sources and Existing Sources
              CALI Lesson: Regulated Sources Under the Clean Air Act (ENV10)

   2. Legislative Intent and Application of Clean Air Act
   3. Clean Air Act Amendments
   4. Permitting
   5. Enforcement Options
   6. Role of Paralegals.

6. Water Pollution/Rights to Use Water 
   1. Theories of Water Rights
           CALI Lesson: Water Law Basics: Overview of Surface Water Law in the United States (ENV22)
           CALI Lesson: Water Law Basics: Prior Appropriation (ENV24)
           CALI Lesson: Water Law Basics: Rights in Ground Water (ENV26)
           CALI Lesson: Water Law Basics: Riparianism (ENV23)
           CALI Lesson: Water Law: Equitable Apportionment (ENV27)
           CALI Lesson: Water Law: Federal Reserved Rights (ENV28)
           CALI Lesson: Water Law: Regulated Riparianism and the Florida Water Law System (ENV29)
           CALI Lesson: Water Law: The California System (ENV30)
           CALI Lesson: Water Law: The Public Trust Doctrine (ENV25)
   2. Causes Of Water Pollution.
   3. Clean Water Act
           CALI Lesson: Citizen Suits Under the Clean Water Act (ENV01)
           CALI Lesson: Constitutional Standing in Environmental Citizen Suits (ENV18)
   4. Standards and Permitting
           CALI Lesson: Clean Water Act Permitting Basics (ENV06)
   5. Monitoring
   6. Drinking Water
   7. Coastal Zone Management Act
   8. Jurisdictional Issues: Wetlands
           CALI Lesson: Wetlands Basics (ENV03)
           CALI Lesson: Clean Water Act Jurisdiction (ENV05)
           CALI Podcast: Clean Water Act Jurisdiction PodCast (ENV05P)
   9. Use of Paralegals In Water Regulation Law.

7. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act-Waste Regulation
   1. Waste Accumulation and Disposal.
   2. History of Solid and Hazardous Waste Disposal.
           CALI Lesson: FIFRA Basics (ENV20)
   3. Regulation --RCRA Plan for Waste Management.
           CALI Lesson: RCRA Hazardous Wastes (ENV09)
           CALI Lesson: RCRA Solid Wastes (ENV08)
   4. Medical Waste

8. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)
   1. History of Superfund Legislation
           CALI Lesson: Superfund Basics  (ENV02)
   2. Relationship CERCLA and RCRA
   3. Scope of CERCLA and SARA
   4. Enforcement Options and Liability
   5. Common Law and State Statutory Remedies
   6. Brownfields
   7. Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know

9. Energy and Power
   1. Electric Power and Impact on Environment
   2. Regulation of Public Utilities
   3. Oil and Gas Rights
   4. Mining

10. Endangered Species Act
         CALI Lesson: ESA Basics (ENV07)
         CALI Lesson: International Environmental Law: Implementing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in the United States (ENV14)
    1. Listing Species
    2. Habitat

11. Toxic Substances Control Act
    1. New Chemical Substances and TSCA
            CALI Lesson: TSCA Basics (ENV19)
    2. Preventive Regulatory Scheme of TSCA
    3. Major TSCA Provisions, Reporting, Record Keeping.
    4. Role of Paralegal in TSCA.