Under the new Trump administration, California suddenly finds itself in the position of disagreeing with or even opposing the federal government on many policy issues.  As California and other states and localities seek to take a stand and chart their own policy course, however, they may face a tough obstacle: federal preemption.  Please join the Environmental Law Society to learn about what preemption is, in which contexts it may play a role, and how it might impact California’s ability, especially in the environmental arena, to implement policies different from those of the federal government.  Professor David Freeman Engstrom will begin the talk by providing a mini lesson on preemption law generally in order to introduce the audience to the contours of the doctrine and how it operates.  Marc Melnick, Deputy Attorney General for the California DOJ, and Professor Michael Wara will then discuss how preemption may affect particular issue areas such as mining on federal land, California’s vehicle emissions regulations, and the state’s energy policy.