Student publishes article in environmental newsletter

As a research assistant for Richmond Law professor Noah Sachs, third-year student Jack Morgan explored a new opportunity in the world of academia. It was Sachs who recommended that Morgan use one of the research topics in the area of environmental law to shop around an idea for an article for publication. He received some interest from Lynn Bergeson, vice-chair for the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy, Resources, who published Morgan's first scholarly article in the Pesticides, Chemical Regulation, and Right-to-Know Committee newsletter,

The article, “NRDC Sues EPA for a Failure to Issue Hazardous Substance Regulations: The End of a Decades-Long Public Risk in Sight,” was published in the November 2015 issue of the newsletter. “Currently there are no federal regulations that prevent hazardous substance spills at onshore facilities,” wrote Morgan. States can issue state-specific regulations – “but that’s not adequate,” argues Morgan. So the Natural Resources Defense Council has filed a complaint against the Environmental Protection Agency. His article concludes, “NRDC’s request, if implemented, would allow EPA to maintain regulatory efficiency.”

Morgan already has a post-graduate job as a circuit court clerk lined up. But “I see environmental law as a long-term goal,” he said, and a published article is a step in that direction.