This article explains why states and localities need to be full partners in a national climate change effort based on federal legislation or the existing Clean Air Act. A large share of reductions with the lowest cost and the greatest co-benefits (e.g., job creation, technology development,...

Many new and ambitious energy efficiency and conservation laws are being enacted at all levels of government - and with greater financial incentives than provided previously. These innovations are intended to overcome or minimize market barriers such as principal-agent problems, information and...

The growing prospect of comprehensive national climate change legislation raises many important questions about the role of state efforts in a national climate change program. This article identifies the key state/federal issues that should be addressed in any comprehensive national...

The United State Supreme Court's holding in Massachusetts v. EPA that greenhouse gases are air pollutants under the Clean Air Act makes it virtually certain that federal climate change legislation will be accomplished by amending that Act. This Article explains and justifies an approach to...

States and regional organizations have been in the forefront of programs to address climate change in the United States. The Supreme Court's decision in Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency means that a strong federal response is now also inevitable. Expeditious implementation of a...

A renewable portfolio standard (“RPS”) has been adopted in some form by 38 states and the District of Columbia. These laudable policy initiatives have now outlived their usefulness. We propose a transition to an innovative carbon-based standard that will better serve the objective of...

Philadelphia has agreed to implement a long-term plan to employ ecosystem services provided by green stormwater control infrastructure to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSO) and achieve compliance with the CSO requirements of the Clean Water Act. The $2.5 billion Green City, Clean Waters...

Existing North American regional programs for capping and reducing greenhouse gas emissions have come under criticism based on concerns regarding their perceived impact on environmental justice communities. When viewed through an ethical lens, programs that distribute emissions allowances by way...

In this introduction to the special issue of <em>Sustainability</em> on environmental laws and sustainability, we attempt to synthesize key lessons from the issue’s ten substantive articles. These lessons involve the use of law to achieve integrated decision-making, the use of pre-existing laws to...

The first part of this Article suggests a framework for understanding Article I, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania constitution. This second and final part of the Article outlines ways in which that framework should be applied.The Article argues that the environmental rights and public trust...