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Full-Text Articles in Land Use Law

Climate Change And Water Transfers, Jesse Reiblich, Christine A. Klein Apr 2014

Climate Change And Water Transfers, Jesse Reiblich, Christine A. Klein

Pepperdine Law Review

Climate change adaptation is all about water. Although some governments have begun to plan for severe water disruptions, many have not. The consequences of inaction, however, may be dire. As a report of the U.N. Environment Programme warns, “countries that adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach potentially risk the lives of their people, their ecosystems and their economies.” In the United States, according to one study, nearly 60% of the states are unprepared to deal with the impending crisis. Responding to this void, we offer what we believe is the first comprehensive, state-by-state survey of water allocation law and its …


Coping With Climate: Legal Innovation In The Absence Of Full Reform, Robert R.M. Verchick, Faye Sheets Jan 2014

Coping With Climate: Legal Innovation In The Absence Of Full Reform, Robert R.M. Verchick, Faye Sheets

Robert R.M. Verchick

In the absence of a federal legislation directing government to adapt to the unavoidable effects of climate change, the Obama administration has put its faith in existing environmental laws like the Clean Air Act (“CAA”), the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”), and the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”). But often federal objectives focus only on reducing greenhouse gases—what experts call “mitigation”—and neglect strategies for coping with the climate disruptions that we cannot avoid—otherwise known as “adaptation.” Where the federal policy falls short, states are beginning to experiment on their own with climate adaptation strategies. This essay examines both approaches, mitigation and …


Land Use Law Update: New York's New Climate Change Resiliency Law, Sarah Adams-Schoen Jan 2014

Land Use Law Update: New York's New Climate Change Resiliency Law, Sarah Adams-Schoen

Scholarly Works

New York State’s lawmakers passed 2,603 bills over the course of the 2013-14 session, 658 of which passed both houses. Although counties and local governments are likely focusing their attention on budget-related items such as the property tax freeze/rebate program, local governments — and zoning and planning officials and practitioners in particular — should also take note of the newly enacted Community Risk and Resiliency Act (CRRA).


Climate Change Adaptation And Mitigation: A Local Solution To A Global Problem, Sarah J. Adams-Schoen Jan 2014

Climate Change Adaptation And Mitigation: A Local Solution To A Global Problem, Sarah J. Adams-Schoen

Scholarly Works

Local land use laws offer powerful tools for climate change adaptation and mitigation. However, notwithstanding New York municipalities’ many impressive efforts, local laws are not yet being utilized sufficiently to create disaster-resilient or disaster-adaptive communities. New York City has done substantially more than many other cities, including, critically, setting specific CO2 emissions reduction targets and amending zoning and building codes. But, in light of the evidence of climate change and its impacts, local decision makers, resource managers, and planners throughout the state must ask whether we are doing enough. Failure to do so will continue to be costly in terms …