Energy Law (2503): All modern industrial economies, including that in the U.S., require massive energy infrastructure and a coherent legal framework to ensure that energy services are provided to consumers of all types in a manner that is safe, reliable and affordable. Because of climate change, it is also increasingly clear that our energy sources must be sustainable. The focus of this course is on the electricity and natural gas industries, which operate in the U.S. under a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework involving extensive interplay between federal and state authorities. This course provides a strong grounding in the governing legal principles. It draws upon case-law, primarily decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court, to bring these principles into focus. We will examine the respective roles of regulation and market forces in this field. Students who complete the class will gain a historical understanding of how economic regulation of the energy industry has evolved since its origins in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, a durable conceptual understanding of current energy law and policy debates, and a practical grasp of the legal and regulatory framework for the energy industry in the US. Non-law students interested in energy issues are welcomed and encouraged to take this course, as an understanding of the legal framework is essential to careers in the energy sector. Elements used in grading: class participation, in-class group presentations, and a one-day, take-home, open-book final exam.

Energy Law (2503): All modern industrial economies, including that in the U.S., require massive energy infrastructure and a coherent legal framework to ensure that energy services are provided to consumers of all types in a manner that is safe, reliable and affordable. Because of climate change, it is also increasingly clear that our energy sources must be sustainable. The focus of this course is on the electricity and natural gas industries, which operate in the U.S. under a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework involving extensive interplay between federal and state authorities. This course provides a strong grounding in the governing legal principles. It draws upon case-law, primarily decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court, to bring these principles into focus. We will examine the respective roles of regulation and market forces in this field. Students who complete the class will gain a historical understanding of how economic regulation of the energy industry has evolved since its origins in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, a durable conceptual understanding of current energy law and policy debates, and a practical grasp of the legal and regulatory framework for the energy industry in the US. Non-law students interested in energy issues are welcomed and encouraged to take this course, as an understanding of the legal framework is essential to careers in the energy sector. Elements used in grading: class participation, in-class group presentations, and a one-day, take-home, open-book final exam.

Energy Law (2503): Modern energy systems aim to deliver a supply of reliable, low-cost, and clean energy; in turn, they require major capital investments in infrastructure projects, some of which have the features of a natural monopoly and therefore require ongoing economic regulation. The U.S. energy system today is subject to a complex regime of state and federal laws. We will examine the historical role of state-level electric utility regulation, tracing its evolution into the various forms of regulated and deregulated energy markets now in use in the U.S. electricity and natural gas sectors. Contemporary energy law increasingly involves a delicate federalist balance where state and federal regulators share overlapping authority in contested policy areas that are subject to major technological and economic change. Finally, we will interrogate the contested ideals of regulation and competition, which private, non-profit, and governmental stakeholders deploy in legal and political fora to advance private gain and public goods. Students who complete the class will gain a historical understanding of how economic regulation of the energy sector has evolved since the early 20th century, a durable conceptual framework for understanding modern energy law and policy debates, and a practical understanding of energy law designed for future practitioners. Non-law students interested in energy issues are highly encouraged to take this course, as energy law literacy is essential to careers in the sector. Elements used in grading: class participation, short written assignments, and a one-day take-home final exam. Cross-listed with Environment and Resources (ENVRES 226).