Monthly Archives: January 2013

Air Pollution’s Disproportionate Impact on Low-Income Americans

Posted on January 28, 2013 by jamiemyers

“There is a kinship between the being of the earth and that of my body.” – Maurice Merleau-Ponty, 1970 In college, I grew accustomed to the sound of trains, cars, and trucks lulling me to sleep every night. On cold winter mornings, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Clean Air Act, environmental health, environmental health law, environmental justice, environmental law, Fine Air Particulates, NEPA | Comments Off on Air Pollution’s Disproportionate Impact on Low-Income Americans

The Effect of Hydraulic Fracturing on Groundwater Quality

Posted on January 27, 2013 by molive

Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has recently become one of the most talked-about resource recovery methods in the country. Fracking involves fracturing rock formations to stimulate the flow of natural gas or oil to the surface. In order to fracture a rock … Continue reading →

Posted in cooperative federalism, drinking water, environmental health law, environmental law, EPA, hydraulic fracturing, precautionary principle, public health, Safe Drinking Water Act | Comments Off on The Effect of Hydraulic Fracturing on Groundwater Quality

Regulating Naturally Occurring Heavy Metals: How do Genetics, Behavior and the Environment Affect Toxicity?

Posted on January 27, 2013 by caitlin

Substances affecting human health are often analyzed in a vacuum.  Even though exposure is never limited to a single substance, the interactions between chemicals and the effects of small doses over time are largely ignored when setting limits for exposure.  … Continue reading →

Posted in CDC, drinking water, environmental health, environmental health law, environmental law, EPA, NIEHS, public health, public health law, risk assessment, risk management, routes of exposure | Comments Off on Regulating Naturally Occurring Heavy Metals: How do Genetics, Behavior and the Environment Affect Toxicity?

Revising Fish Consumption Rates in the Pacific Northwest: The Inextricable Link Between Environmental Protection & Human Health

Posted on January 26, 2013 by mkyle

The Problem of Low Fish Consumption Rates Washington State is currently in the process of revising its fish consumption rates (FCRs). The current rates were developed in the 1980s and 1990s, and recent studies indicate that Washingtonians consume much more fish … Continue reading →

Posted in CERCLA, Clean Water Act, cooperative federalism, dioxins, environmental cleanup, environmental health, environmental health law, environmental justice, environmental law, EPA, fish consumption advisories, mercury, PCBs, pollution control standards, public health, public health law, public participation process, risk assessment, risk communication, risk management, vulnerable populations, water quality standards, WHO | Comments Off on Revising Fish Consumption Rates in the Pacific Northwest: The Inextricable Link Between Environmental Protection & Human Health

GMO Food Labeling Within the Parameters of Existing Law

Posted on January 25, 2013 by dchangala

While the impact of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on human health and environmental systems is inconclusive, persuasive evidence suggests that GMOs do in fact have adverse human health impacts as well as consequential effects on agricultural systems, which implicate the … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture and human health, environmental health, environmental health law, public health, public health law | Comments Off on GMO Food Labeling Within the Parameters of Existing Law

What is Environmental Health Law?

Posted on January 21, 2013 by tbach

The term environmental health has been around for awhile.  In the World Health Organization (WHO)‘s words, “environmental health addresses all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting  behaviours. It encompasses the … Continue reading →

Posted in CDC, environmental health, environmental health law, environmental law, EPA, NCEH, NIEHS, NIH, public health, public health law | Comments Off on What is Environmental Health Law?

Welcome to Environmental Health at VLS!

Posted on January 10, 2013 by tbach

Welcome to our blog that puts together the law, policy, and science of environmental health.  The authors of this blog are Vermont Law School 2L and 3L students enrolled in Professor Tracy Bach’s Environmental Health Law seminar during the Spring, 2013 semester.   Each … Continue reading →

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