Category: Law

State and Local Government Liability for Flooding

Jon Kusler, Government Liability and Climate Change: Selected Legal Issues Related to Flood Hazards (2016). Jon Kusler, Flood Risk In The Courts: Reducing Government Liability While Encouraging Government Responsibility (2011). Jon A Kusler, A Comparative Look at Public Liability for…

Discretionary authority defense applies to admiralty cases – MRGO admiralty claims dismissed

In re Katrina Canal Breaches Litig., No. 14-30060, 2015 WL 3407410 (5th Cir. May 28, 2015) – 5th Circuit reviews standard for discretionary authority defense and finds that applies to cases brought against the Federal government under the admiralty laws.…

President Obama’s Climate Action Plan

Read President Obama’s Climate Action Plan in its entirety and fact sheet. PROGRESS REPORT: Highlighting Federal Actions Addressing the Recommendations of the State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, JULY 2015 View the Infographic In June…

Climate Change: Conceptual Approaches and Policy Tools – CRS

Climate Change: Conceptual Approaches and Policy Tools – CRS Summary Congress has, over the past three decades, authorized and funded federal programs to improve understanding of climate changes and their implications. Climate changes have potentially large economic and ecological consequences,…

Louisiana SB 469 – Killing the Coastal Erosion Lawsuit

Morial v. Smith & Wesson Corp., 785 So. 2d 1 (LA 2001) This case reviews the LA law that retroactively stopped LA cities from suing gun manufacturers. It is a good discussion of the state police power and the state’s…

EPA Proposed Rules on Power plant Carbon Dioxide

Power plant CO2 Proposed Regs EPA Fact Sheet: Reducing Carbon Pollution from Power Plants – Sept. 20, 2013 (PDF)(4 pp, 106 K) EPA Technical Fact Sheet: Reducing Carbon Pollution from Power Plants – Sept. 20, 2013 (PDF)(6 pp, 119 K)…

Climate Change and Existing Law – CRS

Climate Change and Existing Law: A Survey of Legal Issues Past, Present, and Future This report surveys existing law for legal issues that have arisen, or may arise in the future, on account of climate change and government responses thereto.…