This Comment examines the potential impact of the demise of Chevron deference on the environment and the health of residents of communities disproportionately affected by “cumulative impacts.” It reviews the Chevron deference doctrine and the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of that well-established legal precedent, discusses the goal of environmental justice for all communities and how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sought to secure that goal in accordance with the environmental laws administered by EPA, and offers some conclusions.

On June 13, 2024, the Environmental Law Institute and its Pro Bono Clearinghouse hosted the tenth installment of the continuing legal education series Community Lawyering for Environmental Justice, focusing on the environmental justice implications of “forever chemicals,” including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). A panel of experts highlighted developments, challenges, and opportunities in this burgeoning area, and discussed research on the disproportionate exposure experienced by communities of color; the U.S.

The relationship between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regime under the World Trade Organization is complex. The manner in which intellectual property rights (IPRs) pertaining to genetic resources (GRs) and associated traditional knowledge (ATK) are handled is the main source of this dissonance.

Plastic pollution is emerging as a defining crisis of our time. The United States has set a national goal to eliminate plastic release into the environment by 2040 and is engaging in negotiations on a global plastics treaty while simultaneously developing a national strategy. A recent report published by the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) and the Monterey Bay Aquarium provides a comprehensive overview of existing legal authorities the federal government can leverage to achieve this national goal while safeguarding human health and the environment.