Merhige Center for Environmental Studies

The Robert R. Merhige Jr. Center for Environmental Studies at the University of Richmond School of Law engages in research, instruction, and public outreach on energy and environmental issues in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. The center hosts conferences, symposia, and speakers on pressing environmental issues, generating dialogue for policy solutions.

Summer Public Interest Fellowships

Each Richmond Law student is guaranteed one summer of funding for a public service or government sector job. Here are just a few examples of recent student placements in the environmental law field.

500-Year Forest Foundation	Southern Environmental Law Center
Appalachian Trail Conservancy	Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation
Chesapeake Bay Foundation	U.S. Department of Energy
City of Richmond Office of Sustainability	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Council on the States	U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry
Environmental Integrity Project	Virginia Conservation Network
Office of the Attorney General of Virginia, Environmental Section	Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Load More Accomplishments

Recent Scholarship

Prof. Stokes, Renewable Energy Federalism, 106 Minnesota L. Rev. (July 2022)

Prof. Eisen, Advanced Introduction to Law and Renewable Energy, Edward Elgar Publishing (July 2021).

Prof. Stokes, On Greenlining: Renewing the Charge, Sabin Colloquium on Innovative Environmental Law Scholarship (May 2021).

Prof. Sachs, Argument analysis: The trail, the pipeline and a journey to the center of the earth, SCOTUSblog (2020).

Prof. Sachs, The Paris Agreement in the 2020s: Breakdown or Breakup, Ecology Law Quarterly (2019).

Prof. Sachs, Regulation of Toxic Substances and Hazardous Waste, Foundation Press (3d edition 2018) (w/Applegate, Laitos, Gabba).

Prof. Eisen, The New(Clear?) Electricity Federalism: Federal Preemption of States' "Zero Emissions Credit" Programs, Ecol. L. Q. Currents (2018).

Prof. Sachs, Environmental Law Practice, Carolina Academic Press (4th Ed., 2018) (w/Anderson, Hirsch, Tormey).

Prof. Eisen, Free Trade in Electric Power, Utah L. Rev. 49 (2018).

In the News

Prof. Sachs, The Regulatory Review, Nov. 2021: Toxic Floods Create Pressing Regulatory Needs

Prof. Sachs, Morning Wave, Nov. 2019: Paris Climate Agreement and US withdrawal

Prof. Sachs, Energywire, Oct. 2019: What to watch in the Appalachian Trail pipeline fight

Prof. Sachs, Bay Journal, Aug. 2019: Shoreline industry poses hazards as sea level, floods increase

Prof. Eisen, Law360, Feb. 2019: Pa. Nuke Bailout Bill Fuels Political Fight With Gas Sector

Prof. Sachs, Bay Journal, Mar. 2019: New Report on Climate-Driven 'Toxic Flood' Threats in Virginia

Prof. Eisen, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Feb. 2019: UR professor is energy law scholar

Presentations

Prof. Eisen, "Climate Change in the Courts," Hot Topics Summer Lecture Series, Vermont Law School, South Royalton, Vermont (July 2019)

Prof. Eisen, "Community Solar Across the Nation: Preliminary Lessons from Ongoing Projects," Energy Law Clinic, Vermont Law School, South Royalton, Vermont (July 2019).

Prof. Eisen, "Clean Energy Justice: Charting An Emerging Agenda," Hot Topics Summer Lecture Series, Vermont Law School, South Royalton, Vermont (July 2019).

Prof. Sachs, "U.S. Climate Policy and Private Equity," Responsible Investment Forum (March 2018).

Prof. Sachs, "SJ295 and Regulatory Rollback," Virginia Conservation Network General Assembly Preview (Dec. 2017).

Courses Taught

Prof. Eisen

Energy Law
Law of Clean & Renewable Energy
Environmental Law
Law of Climate Change
Administrative Law

Prof. Sachs

Torts
Environmental Law
International Environmental Law
Regulatory Law Practicum
Legislation & Regulation

Prof. Stokes

Property
Environmental Law
Environmental Justice

Web Results

Directory Results

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Merhige Center for Environmental Studies