Law Commons^™

Regulating For Energy Justice, Alexandra B. Klass, Gabriel Chan

Articles

In this Article, we explore and critique the foundational norms that shape federal and state energy regulation and suggest pathways for reform that can incorporate principles of “energy justice.” These energy justice principles—developed in academic scholarship and social movements—include the equitable distribution of costs and benefits of the energy system, equitable participation and representation in energy decision making, and restorative justice for structurally marginalized groups.

While new legislation, particularly at the state level, is critical to the effort to advance energy justice, our focus here is on regulators’ ability to implement reforms now using their existing authority to advance the …

The Gulf Spill Context: Peak Oil, Risky Oil, And Energy Strategy, Edward A. Parson

Articles

As shocking as the situation in the Gulf of Mexico may be, in this broader context it must be regarded as a normal event. That’s not to say that it’s normal in relation to past experience. Rather, the Gulf spill is “the new normal,” in the sense that our current energy strategy—or lack thereof—will make such events increasingly likely, even if we assume conditions of effective regulation and responsible compliance that evidently were not present on the Deepwater Horizon.