Alaska District Court Considers “Reverse Environmental Impact” in Issuance of Section 404 Permit

By Ellii Cho, Summer Legal Intern The National Environmental Policy Act of 1970 (NEPA) requires federal agencies to prepare environmental impact statements (EISs) for all “major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.”[1] This includes the issuance of federal permits. Even after an EIS is completed and […]

Farmers Insurance Withdraws Class Action Alleging Failure to Adapt to Climate Change

By Hunter Book, Summer Legal Intern On June 3, 2013, a group of lawsuits that generated significant interest among environmental lawyers were abruptly withdrawn.[1]  The cases notably alleged a novel theory of liability and duty of care regarding climate change projections.  In Illinois Farmers Insurance Co. v. Metro Water Reclamation District […]

May Updates to the Climate Litigation Charts

Update #62 May 2014 Each month, Arnold & Porter and the Center for Climate Change Law collect and summarize developments in climate-related litigation, which we also add to our U.S. and non-US climate litigation charts. The May additions are listed below. (If you know of any cases we’ve missed, please email us at columbiaclimate […]

Responding to Concerns About Affordability, Congress Pulls the Plug on 2012 Flood Insurance Reforms

Ethan I. Strell, CCCL Associate Director and Fellow On March 21, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 (2014 Act), whose stated purpose is to “delay the implementation of certain provisions of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Texas Hurricane Damage (photo credit: FEMA) […]

NEW CCCL PAPER- REVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ANALYSIS FOR THE ADAPTATION OF PROJECTS, PLANS AND PROGRAMS TO THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE EU

Teresa Parejo Navajas Associate Professor of Law. Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Spain) Visiting Scholar at the Center for Climate Change Law (Columbia University) Columbia’s Center for Climate Change Law has published a new white paper analyzing the Reverse Environmental Assessment tool for the adaptation of projects, plans and programs […]