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University of California Press

About the Book

Written by two internationally respected authors, this unique primer distills the environmental law and policy of the United States into a practical guide for a nonlegal audience, as well as for lawyers trained in other regions. The first part of the book explains the basics of the American legal system: key actors, types of laws, and overarching legal strategies for environmental management. The second part delves into specific environmental issues (pollution, ecosystem management, and climate change) and how American law addresses each. Chapters include summaries of key concepts, discussion questions, and a glossary of terms, as well as informative "spotlights"—brief overviews of topics. With a highly accessible structure and useful illustrative features, A Guide to U.S. Environmental Law is a long-overdue synthetic reference on environmental law for students and for those who work in environmental policy or environmental science. Pairing this book with its companion, A Guide to EU Environmental Law, allows for a comparative look at how two of the most important jurisdictions in the world deal with key environmental problems.

About the Author

Arden Rowell is Professor of Law at the University of Illinois. Her work focuses on bringing interdisciplinary insights into environmental law.

Josephine van Zeben is Professor of Law and Chairholder of the Law Group at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. She has studied environmental law in many jurisdictions around the world and is passionate about interdisciplinary research and teaching.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
List of Spotlight Boxes
Preface

Part One. Building Blocks of U.S. Environmental Law
1. Regulating Environmental Impacts
2. Key Actors
3. Types of Law
4. Regulatory Instruments

Part Two. U.S. Environmental Law
5. Contextualizing U.S. Environmental Law
6. Pollution Control
Air Pollution 
Water Pollution
Soil Pollution 
Toxic Substances
Waste Management 
7. Ecosystem Management
Biodiversity
Wildlife 
Management of Special Ecosystems: Wetlands 
Land Management and Public Lands
Agriculture 
8. Climate Change
Mitigation 
Adaptation and Natural Hazards 
Subnational Approaches

Conclusions 
Acknowledgments
Appendix. Time Line of U.S. Environmental Law
Additional Resources 
Glossary
Index

Reviews

"This highly accessible book provides an excellent introduction to U.S. environmental law. In a concise and analytically sophisticated manner, the authors—both distinguished law professors—present the building blocks of environmental policies and the approaches of the major environmental statutes."—Richard L. Revesz, Lawrence King Professor of Law and Dean Emeritus, New York University School of Law

"Well organized and clearly written, this provides environmental studies students and legal students outside of the United States the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the environmental laws of that country. Additionally, if read along with the authors' Guide to EU Environmental Law, the volumes offer researchers and students the means to compare these laws cross-nationally."—Jonathan R. Nash, author of Environmental Law and Policy: The Essentials

"Arden Rowell and Josephine van Zeben have given us a clear, concise introduction to American environmental law. Aimed at those who are not U.S. lawyers or law students, the book will be invaluable to anyone seeking an understanding of the legal framework within which environmental policy is made."—Daniel Farber, Faculty Director, Center for Law, Energy, and Environment, University of California, Berkeley