Blog By: Camille Camp
In this blog, 2L Staffer Camille Camp discusses the threat black vultures pose to the livestock industry and the proposed bill aimed at assisting livestock producers. Additionally, she highlights the essential ecological function served by black vultures and stresses the importance of finding a sustainable solution that both addresses the threat to livestock and preserves the black vulture population.
Blog By: Daniel Martell
In his blog, Vol. 17 Executive Editor Daniel Martell reports on a barrier in the transition to clean energy: local opposition to solar projects in rural communities. While opposition groups have delayed and derailed solar projects in the past, Martell argues that there are steps that solar farm developers can take to the conflict and cost that come with public opposition to their energy projects.
Blog By: Daniel Short
2L Staffer Daniel Short discusses the Kentucky legislature's decision to create an acreage requirement for hunting and fishing licenses, exempt private landowners. Shortly after, the legislature rescinded the rule, which Short argues was the right decision because of the requirement's uncertainty in enforcement and effectiveness, as well as the detriment to resident outdoorsmen.
Blog By: Caroline Butler
In this blog, 3L Staffer Caroline Butler discusses a $320 million, 2,000-acre proposal to expand Bluegrass Station to include a military airport was made public. Butler argues that this proposal and the problems surrounding it, such as eminent domain and public pushback.
Blog By: Madison Boggs
In her blog, 2L Staffer Madison Boggs discusses the passage of the Whole Milk For Healthy Kids Act in the House of Representatives. The Act seeks to amend existing federal regulations governing school lunches, allowing schools to offer a broader range of milk choices to students, including whole, reduced-fat, and fat-free varieties. Boggs emphasizes the significant contribution of discarded milk in school cafeterias to food waste and advocates for expanding beverage options, including plant-based milks, in schools to tackle this widespread issue.
Johnson & Johnson has been a household name from, band-aids to baby powders and the Covid-19 vaccine over the years. Lately, they have become a bigger name in lawsuits due to their talc-based baby powder. Senior staffer, Nicola Peters, analyzes Johnson &Johnson’s new bankruptcy legal strategy known as the Texas Two-Step. Peters argues that this strategy is highly problematic and should not proceed.
Cryptocurrency has taken the world by storm lately, and everyone wants in on the action. 2L staffer, Leen Heresh, analyzes this new phenomenon. Heresh points out that although there are many benefits to Cryptocurrency, it is hurting our environment due to the enormous energy consumption required for Cryptocurrency to function. However, Heresh believes that not all hope is lost and offers some solutions to help this increasing problem.
2L staffer, Zachary Mills, discusses the importance of the Clean Water Act and how the act continues to change through public and presidential pressure. Mills focuses explicitly on Section 401 of the Act, where it designates state and tribal governments as “certifying authorities” for these licenses, but after Trump’s Executive Order 13956, the EPA narrowed Section 401. Mills highly encourages courts to truly realize the change to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act does more harm than good for the Native American communities.
Senior Staffer, Lilly Keitges, discusses the different power grids across the country, but especially ERCOT in terms of it being an island grid. Keitges discusses how the poor regulations of this island grid were a significant cause of the outages during Winter Storm Uri and what Texas should do to help prevent more outages in the future.
2L Staffer Georgiana Ledford discusses the Antiquities Act of 1906, which allows the President to transform a tract of land into a national monument. Ledford discusses how presidents have treated this power and how people have mixed options on this Act as some see it as a use of politics. Ledford strongly believes that Americans should put politics behind them and remember why Congress passed this Act.
2L Staffer Breanna McKnight discusses the dangerous chemical known as polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) and what Congress is doing to help eliminate these chemicals in our drinking water. The United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 2467, known as the PFAS Action Act of 2021. Although some organizations worry that this bill will cause more harm than good, McKnight strongly encourages people to support this Act as she believes it is a vital step to combat these chemicals.
2L staffer Matthew Hayes argues that Kentucky should repeal its current real property tax and replace it with a tax on the unimproved value of land. Hayes looks at other states and countries that have implemented this idea, which has resulted in high economic growth. Hayes is hopeful that Kentucky will have the same result if Kentucky implements this tax.
