Energy Law and Policy

This introductory course lies at the crossroads of energy and environmental law. It covers legal and policy concepts important to understanding U.S. energy law, particularly electricity, and, to a lesser extent, transportation. It will expose students to important fundamentals of public utility law, cost of service, and restructured electricity markets. The primary focus of the course, however, is on the environmental impacts and legal challenges associated with different sources of energy supply, both traditional and alternative (e.g., coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind, solar, geothermal, oil, and alternative fuels), as well as demand-side strategies (e.g., energy efficiency, demand response). This course does not cover traditional oil and gas law.