Table of Contents
Introduction
2
Chapter 1 - Lay of the Land
4
Issue Areas & Practice Settings
Chapter 2 - Consulting Experts
12
Alumni Narratives
Chapter 3 - Training for the Journey
20
Environmental Law at Harvard
(Classes, Clinicals, and Camaraderie)
Chapter 4 - Help Along the Way
31
The Job Process and OPIA Support
Chapter 5 - Blazing a Path
35
A Directory of Fellowships and Organizations
1
Harvard Law School’s Environmental Trail Guide
Introduction
When considering a career in any area, one faces the question: “What are my
options?” The field of environmental law offers professional choices and opportunities
that can be remarkably diverse and satisfying for the public interest lawyer. Initially,
environmental legal issues were addressed primarily through common law negligence,
nuisance and property lawsuits, and to a lesser degree through a limited number of
federal, state and local laws controlling land and water usage. Environmental law as
practiced today, however, has much of its basis in federal environmental statutes enacted
within the past thirty-five years aimed at managing humankind’s interaction with the
environment.
Environmental laws are designed to limit pollution and ensure the preservation of
natural resources and habitats. Federal, state and local governments achieve these goals
through statutes, administrative regulations, administrative agency decisions and policy
initiatives. Some major federal environmental laws include:
• The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires a study
(Environmental Impact Study [EIS]) for activities that involve federal funding
or require permits from federal agencies and which have a significant impact
on the environment.
• Clean Air and the Clean Water Acts, which regulate the release of pollutants
into the air and water.
• The Resource Conservation and Recovery and the Toxic Substances Control
Acts