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The Role Of Science And Engineering In Water Regulation Over The Past 100 Years, James R. May, Patrick Clary

James R. May

This article explores how scientific and engineering principles are inexorably linked to the regulation of water. Scientists and engineers first discovered the link between disease and water sources in the mid-19th century. Over the years, scientists and engineers have led the way to identifying water quality problems and their causes. These discoveries have directly contributed to the scope of water regulation in the United States and elsewhere. In addition, changes in water quality regulation have dictated the need for increasingly sophisticated water treatment technologies and engineers have been at the forefront of the development of these water control technologies. This …

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Constitutional Climate Change In The Courts, James R. May

James R. May

We have entered an interesting constitutional era, one in which a rising sea level will help to buoy a rising tide of climate litigation, the leading edge of which lies constitutional jurisprudence as applied to the political question doctrine, preemption, dormant commerce and compact clauses and standing. In 2007 most of it involves either state action (e.g., to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from new motor vehicles or require climate friendly energy production), or state causes of action (e.g., public or private nuisance). In 2007, the trend was toward dismissing climate-tort cases as presenting political questions. Notably, in Mass. v. EPA, …

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