Digital Commons Network^™

Lessons Learned From The Mountain Valley Pipeline: Can Nature's Rights Or Environmental Justice Be The New Mvps In Pipeline Litigation?, Caitlin Kwalwasser

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

This Note will provide an introduction and proscriptive application of two litigation strategies for future pipeline litigation by using the MVP [Mountain Valley Pipeline] as a case study: (1) environmental justice and (2) nature’s rights. To understand how these strategies differ from the present, Part I will first examine the primary way opponents sought to prevent construction in the case of the MVP: challenging agency findings. Then, Part II will provide context for the two proposed litigation strategies. Finally, Part III will describe possibilities for how these strategies might be employed to prevent the construction of future pipelines.

This Note …

Public Perceptions Of Fracking And Anti-Fracking Activism: A Theory Of Planned Behavior Approach And Its Implications For Environmental Policy, Okhumode Hector Yakubu

Theses and Dissertations

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has become one of the most contentious energy technologies of the 21st century, drawing support for its economic and energy security benefits and opposition due to its perceived environmental and health risks. This study applies the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine the psychological, social, and informational factors that shape public perceptions of fracking and motivate anti-fracking activism. Using a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (N = 522), this research investigates how attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and domain-specific knowledge predict support or opposition to fracking, as well as intentions to engage in …

Essays On Human Decisions Related To Water Quality Problems In The United States, Sonia M. Refulio Coronado

Open Access Dissertations

Water pollution remains a pervasive and inequitable environmental threat in the United States, with mounting evidence that its burdens - whether in recreational or drinking water contexts - are unevenly distributed across communities. Urbanization, aging infrastructure, and industrial contamination have degraded both coastal waters and drinking water systems, posing serious public health and welfare concerns. At the same time, the extent to which water quality influences behavioral decisions, such as beach recreation or household adoption of water filters, remains poorly understood. Although drinking water pollution is widely ranked as a top environmental concern in national surveys, public knowledge of specific …

Consumer And Environmental Preferences: Discrete Choice Experiments And Machine Learning Applications In Ev Battery Adoption And Aquatic Invasive Species Management, Lufan Helen Liu

Open Access Dissertations

As climate change and resource scarcity drive a global shift toward cleaner energy systems and environmental conservation, understanding how individuals value sustainability-related interventions has become increasingly important. This dissertation contributes to this growing body of knowledge by applying and advancing discrete choice experiment (DCE) methodology to assess consumer and public preferences for two key environmental policy domains: (1) repurposed electric vehicle (EV) batteries for residential energy storage and (2) aquatic invasive species (AIS) management in New York State. Across all three chapters, the study examines how traditional econometric models and emerging machine learning (ML) methods can complement each other in …

Evaluating The Early Impact Of Ab 617: Air Pollution, Health Disparities, And Environmental Justice In California, Cherry Cheuk Lam Cheung, Adam Eckerd

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

This study evaluates the initial effectiveness of California’s Assembly Bill 617 (AB 617), enacted to address air pollution impacts in communities designated as environmental justice priorities, a policy approach that has recently been touted as a successful start. These claims of initial success stand in contrast to much of the research on remediation of environmental justice, particularly with respect to air pollution. Despite well-documented disparities in air pollution exposure and its health impacts among racial-ethnic minorities, previous policy efforts to mitigate these effects have had, at best, marginal effects. AB 617 mandates local air districts and the California Air Resources …

Creative Energies: Unearthing The Role Of Romantic Ecocriticism, Nicole Marie Chambers-Stahl

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The literary field of ecocriticism has transcended the boundaries of Academia: excited to connect to their physical environments, many of these scholars are focusing on genres like place-based writing, rhetoric of energy policy, and representations of the Earth in film and media. Interdisciplinary by nature, ecocriticism has demonstrated clear potential in its ability to intersect with concentrations like the history of science, animal studies, and environmental justice.

However, as the language around global crises is heating up —“Today it is scientists, not prophets,” writes Tobias Menely in “‘The Present Obfuscation,’” “who speak the language of apocalypse” (478)—ecocritical scholarship is at …

Sacrifice Zone: Conciliating Racial Discrimination In Louisiana's "Cancer Alley" Under The International Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Racial Discrimination, Ellen Buerk

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

In June 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) abandoned its civil rights investigation into racially discriminatory practices by Louisiana state agencies in Cancer Alley. It did so after issuing initial findings which indicated those agencies had operated in a racially discriminatory manner, subjecting predominately Black communities to adverse health outcomes resulting from air pollution. This action is one in a long line of violations by the United States of its obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) in Cancer Alley. In light of U.S. inaction in Cancer Alley, other parties to ICERD …

Maine Law Magazine - Issue No. 99, University Of Maine School Of Law

Maine Law Magazine

• A Letter from the Dean
• Alaskan residents granted resident tuition status at Maine Law
• ‘I wasn’t doing it alone’: Students find mentorship and direction in Maine Law’s 3+3 Program
• A Place to Call Home: Three journal symposium addresses housing crisis in Maine and beyond
• Maine Law community honors founding Dean Edward Godfrey’s lasting legacy
• How Maine Law’s Economic Justice Fellowship is Shaping the Next Generation of Advocates
• New fellowship broadens scope and reach of Maine Law’s Refugee and Human Rights Clinic
• The Clinics at Maine Law: Renamed to Reflect Our Expansive Reach
• Prisoners’ Assistance Clinic - Providing Much Needed Access …

Energy Transitions In Underserved Communities: Meaningful Engagement To Address Energy Burdens And Air Pollution, Nyasha Milanzi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This report presents two connected studies focused on environmental justice and community engagement in energy transitions. The first study examines engagement practices in EPA-funded projects using interviews and public abstracts. Applying the EngageINFEWS framework, it analyses stakeholder dynamics and offers recommendations for working with underserved communities. Key insights include addressing power imbalances, securing funding, building capacity, and fostering communication. The second study centres on the REJuST project, which supports energy justice in a rural northern community impacted by public health concerns linked to a bioenergy facility burning wood, paper, plastics, and tire-derived fuels. I use survey data to explore resident …

Overcoming Obstacles To Equitable Energy Transitions And Promoting Energy Sovereignty For Us Tribal Nations, Don Lee

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This dissertation explores the potential of equitable energy transitions guided by the tenets of energy justice with a focus on Tribal energy sovereignty through renewable energy development. It contributes to the literature on the social acceptance of energy systems, public perceptions of renewable energy transitions, the ramifications of US federal Tribal law on Tribal energy development and sovereignty, and the implications of conforming to capitalist logics in the energy justice literature.

To understand the importance of building reciprocal and collaborative relationships, our team of researchers and Tribal members collaborated on the development of a methodology to survey respondents in a …

A Market-Based Approach To Effective Slaughterhouse Line Speed Regulation, Kailey Mcneal

Animal Law Review

The nature of animal agriculture in the United States is heavily industrialized and profit-centered. Industrial animal agriculture maximizes profits and production by employing low-wage workers to do significant loads of labor. Slaughterhouses’ implementation of faster line speeds reflects this tactic. As the industry continues to increase line speeds to boost profits, workers, animals, and the environment continue to face augmented risks to their health and safety. Nonetheless, slaughterhouse line speeds at the federal level remain largely un- and under-regulated. The current federal regulatory scheme is unduly influenced by industry interests, prioritizes profit over safety, and lacks effective enforcement mechanisms. Through …

World As Other, World As Self: Beyond Dualism In Environmental Narratives, Tamara Wallace Ramirez

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Stories of place matter to the way we live with the Earth. A dualistic perspective that pits "culture" against "nature" enables environmental degradation on small and large scales. Conversely, understanding humans and nonhumans as entwined allows us to think and act differently with our planetary community. This view entails integrating the "self" and the "other." Instead of being antithetical to the other, the self arises through engagement with others, human and nonhuman. Understanding our mutuality with others while respecting their alterity and agency fosters caring and dedication. Our sense of connection with the more-than-human world inspires our compassion. However, such …

The Real Story Of Nepa Litigation In Clean Energy Permitting, Anna Mance

Faculty Journal Articles and Book Chapters

Environmental protections and the processes of the administrative state are under attack. In recent years, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) has drawn outsized criticism from across the political and legal spectrum as a major impediment to climate friendly infrastructure and the clean energy transition. NEPA enables private groups to challenge development through litigation. Critics are moving to strip public oversight over federal permitting based on claims that these private groups bring largely frivolous environmental claims to court, driving up costs for developers and delaying progress responding to climate change. But is this really true?

Drawing on an original dataset …

Prisons Built On Toxic Sites: Eighth Amendment Protections For Pregnant Incarcerated Persons, Bianca Stockmeier

Public Interest Law Reporter

No abstract provided.

When Coalitions Do Not Form: The Disability Movement And The Sustainability Movement In Congressional Hearings, Samantha Lavenhagen

American Studies Honors Papers

This thesis examines why and how the disability issue network has traditionally been excluded from the legislative process. The integration of the disability issue network into congressional hearings demonstrates larger themes of power and respect in politics and society. Whether through quotes, statements for the record, or testifying as a witness, issue networks influence lawmakers and lawmaking, building and maintaining relationships with Congress Members and other issue networks. This integration of the disability issue network into congressional hearings reveals larger themes of power and respect in politics and society. More specifically, this thesis investigates the absence of disability organizations from …

Savior To Ally: Exploring White Students' Decisions To Major In Social Work Through The Lens Of White Saviorism, Amy S. Dennison

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored how white students chose social work as a major and how white savior ideology reinforced or challenged students’ choices. The study contributes to a gap in the literature regarding white saviorism and social work education. Using a phenomenological approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews from five undergraduate social work students at one Midwestern state university. Transcripts were analyzed thematically using Moustakas’ data analysis for phenomenology framework. The findings revealed that participants chose social work because of an intent to help others, as well as a desire for their work to have a meaningful impact. White …

2025-2026 Course Catalog, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of The Registrar

University of Montana Course Catalogs, 1895-2024

An annual catalog of courses and course descriptions offered at the University of Montana.

A Haven For Polluters: Examining Cercla Successor Liability Under State Law, Hannah R. Behar

Emory Law Journal

This Comment explores how businesses exploit variability in state corporate law to evade liability for hazardous waste pollution. In particular, it examines the tension between the successor liability doctrine and environmental accountability under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). While CERCLA purports to hold polluters responsible for site cleanup under a broad liability scheme, some states have effectively—through limiting statutes and rigid judicial interpretation—allowed businesses to retain control of environmental assets while casting off associated liabilities. This trend is particularly concerning because most jurisdictions apply state law, as opposed to a uniform federal rule, when considering …

Teaching At The Intersection Of Federal Indian Law And Environmental Law Courses, Mia Montoya Hammersley, Vanessa Ann Racehorse, Heather Tanana, Nadine Padilla, Gerald Torres

Publications

A discussion of the important role of Federal Indian Law in the practice of environmental and natural resources law and guidance on incorporating this intersection into traditional environmental law courses and curricula.

Igniting Change: Assessing Language Access Gaps For Spanish-Speaking Communities In Wildfire Preparedness Resources In Yakima County, Washington, Rebecca N. Mitre

All Master's Theses

Limited-English proficiency (LEP) individuals across the United States face barriers in accessing information and other resources relating to natural hazard resources, particularly in areas prone to wildfire. In the Pacific Northwest, wildfires are predicted to increase in frequency, severity, and intensity and may also increase the social and economic vulnerability of LEP communities. The 2023 wildfire season underscored how economic, public health, and social impacts disproportionately impact minorities and socially vulnerable communities. This research investigates the inclusion of LEP communities in the development and dissemination of local wildfire resources in Yakima County, using the disaster management cycle as an analytical …

In Brief, Case Western Reserve University School Of Law

In Brief

Table of Contents

• Message from the Dean
• Specialty Programs Ranked Among the Best
• AI Certification Requirement
• Curricular Enhancements
• New Faculty Members
• Scholarly Impact
• Conferences and Lectures
• A New Era for Business Law at CWRU
• Meet the New Class
• News from the Kramer Law Clinic
• Impactful Student Initiatives
• Mock Trial and Moot Court Success
• Alumni Spotlight
• Society of Benchers
• Alumni Committees
• Class Notes
• In Memoriam
• Honor Roll of Donors

Assessing Karen Indigenous Governance In Kaw Thay Ghu, Kawthoolei Through The Lens Of The Governance Vitality Framework, Phapi Rakdamrongphorn

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This thesis examines how the traditional Karen governance institution of the Kaw sustains environmental conservation and community well-being in Kaw Thay Ghu, an Indigenous territory in Kawthoolei (Karen State, Myanmar). Situated within a conflict-affected landscape facing challenges from armed violence, displacement, and climate change, this study employs a qualitative case study approach, combining focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with elders, leaders, and youth. The research applies the Governance Vitality Framework (GVF) to assess how the five interrelated dimensions of governance are articulated within the Kaw system: Strategic Adaptability, Connectivity and Collaboration, Wisdom from Local Experience, Creativity and Empowerment, and …

From Wtp To Wtf: Valuation And Distributive Discourse, Lee Anne Fennell

Coase-Sandor Institute for Law & Economics Research Paper Series

No abstract provided.

Constitutional Drafting Processes And Constitutional Success, Adam Chilton, Murat C. Mungan, Mila Versteeg

Coase-Sandor Institute for Law & Economics Research Paper Series

Several recent constitution-making processes have been celebrated for being participatory, inclusive, and representative. However, many of these processes also failed. We theorize that aspects of these kinds of constitutional drafting processes could reduce the probability of constitutional success. To show why, we construct a “Constitution Drafting game” (CD game) in which representatives from different interest groups must draft a constitution. We consider the case where the probability of constitutional success is single peaked, but the value from successful adoption is increasing in the degree of issue protection chosen. The drafting process then leads to protection choices that are above those …

An Evaluation Of The Possibility And Effectiveness Of Renewable Energy In Container Terminal At Jinhae New Port, Min-Seop Sim, Yul-Seong Kim, Chang-Hee Lee

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

The international goals of combating climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are driving container terminal operators to adopt renewable energy solutions. This study evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of introducing renewable energy and eco-fuels for energy independence at the Jinhae New Port Container Terminal, South Korea. Using portfolio analysis, eight renewable energy technologies (solar power, solar thermal energy, wind energy, hydropower, marine energy, geothermal energy, bioenergy, and waste-to-energy) and seven eco-friendly fuels (electricity, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen fuel cells, ammonia fuel cells, bioenergy, and hybrid systems) were assessed. Survey data from stakeholders identified solar, wind, and …

Navigating The Seas Of History In International Law, Valentina Vadi

South Carolina Journal of International Law and Business

Inquiries into questions of time, history, and international law have recently come to the fore. So far, however, many studies have only examined developments in international law from a temporally and thematically fragmented, brief, and narrow perspective. Due to international law’s growing normative and institutional fragmentation and emphasis on specific crises, episodes, and events, many analyses focus on transient trends and particular facets of international law. This study suggests an alternative to these constrained viewpoints: a thorough, multilayered, and broad perspective to questions of international law, drawing on Fernand Braudel’s tripartite theory of time.

Braudel’s theory of time provides valuable …

A Qualitative Study Exploring Best Practices And Applications Of Green, Eco, And Environmental Social Work In Canadian Social Work Practice, Ryley Kristanne Kowalski

Theses and Dissertations

Humanity and society are deeply connected to nature and the environment at their core. Through processes of colonization, the Industrial Revolution, urbanization, consumerism, and capitalism, people and societies have become increasingly disconnected from the natural environment. Introduced as a helping profession through the Industrial Revolution, social work began rooted in environment but quickly changed to understand human and societal wellbeing through the narrow scope of the social environment through the person-in-environment approach. Modern day issues of climate change, environmental degradation, environmental racism, and environmental justice movements have necessitated social work’s increased understanding of the natural environment. The purpose of this …

The Politics Of Memory: The Memorialization Of Student Protests And The Archive, Jane Orkand Lovett

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis explores the politics of memory and archival power in student activism at Scripps College, arguing that archives are active sites where social power is negotiated and contested. Using frameworks of institutional versus collective memory and John Gaventa’s three dimensions of power, it examines how architectural, digital, and physical archives shape narratives of resistance and institutional authority. Case studies, including the Drop Sodexo campaign, Scripps Graffiti Wall, and the Liberation Through Education movement, demonstrate how students use archives to assert agency, counter institutional narratives, and sustain political momentum. The study highlights the co-optation of activism by institutional actors and …

Spatial Vulnerability Towards Flooding And Mitigation Of Three Coastal Cities: Charleston, South Carolina | Passaic City, New Jersey| Virginia Beach, Virginia, Kory Abbott

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This meta-analysis investigates the impact of flooding on three coastal communities along the Atlantic Coast: Charleston, South Carolina; Passaic City, New Jersey; and Virginia Beach, Virginia. One goal of this paper is to determine the adequacy or inadequacy in the flood mitigation responses of these communities so that future actions can be taken to improve flood mitigation measures. Another goal is to consider whether the cities experience environmental injustice in terms of flooding mitigation. This paper draws from governmental documents, news reports, local experiences, updated storm management systems, and scholarly articles. The methodology used in this meta-analysis is as follows: …

Front Matter, Colorado Environmental Law Journal

Colorado Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.