Cross-cutting Issues

391 posts

New Decision from West Virginia Supreme Court on Academic Freedom versus Freedom of Information Laws

The federal Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) and state open record law equivalents are designed to promote government transparency by allowing citizens to request copies of administrative records. Increasingly, they are also used to obtain otherwise private documents from government or public university scientists. FOIA laws can expose misconduct,[1] but […]

Lawsuit Alleges that U.S. Government Violated Constitutional Rights of America’s Youth by Promoting the Development and Use of Fossil fuels

By Nikita Perumal and Jessica Wentz A foundational component of sustainable development is the principle of inter-generational equity: that we should meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. On August 12, a group of twenty-one youths invoked this principle […]

WA Court Affirms Best Available Climate Science as Basis for Emissions Reduction Goals

Daniela Lapidous Sabin Center Summer Intern One year ago, eight young climate activists (ranging from 9 to 14 years old) petitioned Washington State’s Department of Ecology (“the Department”) to adopt and implement stricter greenhouse gas emissions regulations based on the most current and best available climate science. When the Department […]

King v. Burwell: How the Supreme Court’s Affordable Care Act Decision Impacts Challenges to the EPA’s Clean Power Plan

Dane Warren Sabin Center Summer Intern & Rising 2L at Columbia Law School On Thursday, June 25, the Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as Obamacare) withstood another Supreme Court challenge in King v. Burwell. The case focused on a question of statutory interpretation to determine whether those who purchased insurance […]