Environmental Law By Jordon Barney

1. Environmental Law By Jordon Barney

2. What is Environmental law? • Broad practice encompassing wide range of fields involving the environment • The main topics are: air quality, water quality, biodiversity, hazardous waste species protection, and energy conservation. • An environmental lawyer has two key responsibilities. • These include: serving as an advisor to protect the environment, and to provide assistance to agencies, companies and individuals to comply with local, federal, and state environmental regulations. • Most of the ordinances cover water pollution, clean air practices, and managing toxic waste.

3. Requirements to be an Environmental Lawyer • Must be deeply concerned with environmental issues • Must have profound knowledge and abilities to litigate over environmental concerns such as water contamination, air pollution, and nuclear chemical emissions or oil spills. • Should be constantly studying “green” laws whether it be on a local, state, or federal level. • Must be able to represent a diverse group of clients over environmental concerns.

4. History of Environmental law • First Environmental law was created in South Carolina in 1671. • End of 19th century was when environmental awareness really stepped up. • One of first federal environmental laws was the “River and Harbor Act of 1886” • 1965- the “Solid Waste Disposal Act” was signed into law and it became the first federal law regarding solid waste management • On December 2nd, 1970 the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) was established in an effort to monitor and enforce activities to ensure environmental protection.

5. Educational requirements • To become an Environmental lawyer, you must have at least a bachelors degree in Environmental science, sustainability, or a related field • Must graduate from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and pass the pass the bar exam to practice any form of law. • It is recommended to get a masters degree in Environmental Science, or sustainability.

6. Famous Environmentalists • John Muir- advocated for preservation of wilderness in the United States, his efforts helped to preserve Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park, and other wilderness areas. He also petitioned the U.S congress to sign the “National Park Bill” • Rachel Carson- Wrote the novel “Silent Spring” which discussed the effect of pesticides on humans and the environment, her book launched the modern environmental movement. • Theodore Roosevelt- was one of the most active champions of wilderness preservation in history. During his presidency, he set aside millions of wilderness areas for preservation, and created over 200 national forests, national monuments, national parks, and wildlife refuges.

7. Erin Brockovich • Based on a true story • Unemployed mother of 3 with no formal education, discovered large amounts of Hexavalent Chromium in ground water in Hinkley, California • Sued PG&E (Pacific Gas and Electric) • The movie was released in 2000 and stars Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich.

8. Notable awards in Environmental Law • “International Environmental Law award- recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the effort to achieve solutions to environmental problems through international law and institutions” • “Eli National Wetlands awards”- recognizes individuals who have excelled in wetlands protection, restoration, and education.

9. What I have learned… • Environmental lawyers can work on many levels • Can work independently in their own firms. • The career looks very promising since the U.S is pushing more and more to be more environmentally friendly • I have strong interest in this field. • I have also learned that I as an individual can even make a large impact on the environment, and I would love to be able to do everything I can to protect it.

10. The end • Thank you for listening! I plan on attending MPC or Cabrillo and then transferring to San Diego State University to study sustainability and get my bachelors and masters degree, then attend law school at a top law school in the San Diego or Los Angeles area.