Recent Developments in U.S. Energy Law and Policy:

We have an additional lunch meeting in collaboration with the CET-centre on Wednesday the 18th of September. Ross Pifer from Penn State Law (Associate Dean for Clinics & Experiential Learning andClinical Professor of Law) will present his talk "Recent Developments in U.S. Energy Law and Policy: Shale Gas Revolution, Renewables, and Climate Change".

Abstract: While the extraction of oil and gas from shale formations has a relatively short history, the impacts from this development have been, and likely will continue to be, profound.  Shale oil and gas development is at the center of all discussions relating to energy policy in the United States today.  Depending upon differing individual perspectives, shale development may be viewed as a solution to national and global energy issues, or alternatively, it may be viewed as a cause of environmental degradation on a grand scale.  What cannot be denied is that the issues surrounding shale development are highly polarizing.  Many people express strong support for drilling, or they demonstrate passionate opposition to hydraulic fracturing.  These polar viewpoints often appear to leave little middle ground for a rational consideration of the legitimate issues presented by shale development – and there certainly are a number of issues that have arisen over the past decade as development has progressed.  In this talk, I will provide an overview of U.S. shale development and discuss three areas in which the debate over shale development has been the most contentious: the permitting of and opposition to pipeline construction, local regulation of development, and regulatory efforts to address methane emissions from the development process.   

The seminar will be held from 12:15 to 13:00 (we open the doors at 12:00) in room 904 in the ninth floor of the Faculty of social science. As always, it is free and open to all interested parties, so bring your lunch and join us for an interesting presentation followed by a Q&A session. Also note that as this is in collaboration with the CET-centre you will be happy to know that you can expect some light lunch to be served.