Advanced Introduction to US Environmental Law

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world’s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas.

Providing a comprehensive overview of the current and developing state of environmental governance in the United States, this Advanced Introduction lays out the foundations of U.S. environmental law. E. Donald Elliott and Daniel C. Esty explore how federal environmental law is made and how it interacts with state law, highlighting the important role that administrative agencies play in the creation, implementation, and enforcement of U.S. environmental law.

Key features include:

• an examination of the key statutes, case law, and controversies involved in the regulation of natural resources
• a survey of the broad range of regulations and legal principles that govern the protection of the environment in the United States
• analysis of relevant statutes for specific issues including air and water pollution, climate change, endangered species, wilderness preservation, hazardous waste, and pesticides.

This Advanced Introduction will be a valuable resource for scholars and students of environmental law. It will also be beneficial for environmental lawyers, business executives, NGO leaders, policymakers, and think tank analysts who work on environmental issues.

E. Donald Elliott, Former Professor of Law, Yale Law School, USA, 1981–2025, Yangzte River Distinguished Professor, Guangzhou Law School, China, Distinguished Adjunct Professor, Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University and Partner, Earth & Water Law and Daniel C. Esty, Hillhouse Professor of Environmental Law and Policy, Yale School of the Environment and Yale Law School, USA