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Recycling Around the World: How Other Countries ...

In this blog, 3L staffer Hyeongchan Kim examines the current recycling challenges in the United States by comparing recycling policies across several countries, including Germany, Austria, South Korea, and the United States. He highlights that although each country has its own legal system and procedures, the adoption of standardized recycling laws in US is recommended, drawing on examples from countries with higher recycling rates.

Recycling Around the World: How Other Countries See Room for Improvement in U.S. Recycling System
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Mortgaging America’s Environmental Health Under ...

In this blog, 3L staffer Chas Lundy discusses the Trump administration’s attempts to eliminate offshore wind farms in America. Lundy explains the background of renewables in America as well as ongoing litigation regarding a stop work order imposed on a wind farm. Lundy also provides the reactions of powerful figures in the traditional energy industries and takes the position that deviating from offshore wind farms is against the national interest.

Mortgaging America’s Environmental Health Under the Guise of National Security: The Trump Administration’s Assault on Offshore Wind Farms
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The Greatness of a Nation: How United States v. ...

In this blog, Executive Editor Peyton Mills argues that United States v. Stevens, which held that depictions of extreme animal cruelty are not categorically unprotected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, effectively rubber-stamps animal cruelty by hindering prosecutors and emboldening animal abusers. He asserts that Justice Samuel Alito's dissent should pave the way forward for animal rights. 

The Greatness of a Nation: How United States v. Stevens Continues to Rubber Stamp Animal Cruelty
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An Imperfect Solution: Why the Current H-2A ...

In this blog, 3L Staffer Samuel Larrabee argues that the H-2A visa program should be the solution to deported immigrant farm laborers but because of the program's shortcomings, it fails to fill the void. The Department of Labor's recent regulations could help prevent worker abuse that occurs under the program but because courts have stepped in and found that those provisions violate separate law, any meaningful reform of the program likely requires congressional action. 

An Imperfect Solution: Why the Current H-2A Visa Program cannot Make up for Deported Farm Laborers
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Plows or Pavement? The Urban-Rural Rift in ...

In this blog, 3L Staffer Caidan Drenk argues for the increased protection of central Kentucky farmland from urban growth/sprawl. Drenk discusses the existing legal framework surrounding protections and privileges granted to land used for agriculture, the shortcomings of those protections, and the increases needed for appropriate protections in the future. Drenk highlights and acknowledges concerns about population growth, economic growth, and increased housing demands while emphasizing the long-term cultural and economic risks of unchecked development and encroachment. Drenk calls for a balanced approach that safeguards agricultural land while accommodating responsible urban and suburban expansion.

Plows or Pavement? The Urban-Rural Rift in Central Kentucky

Surface Mine Reclamation: A Better Alternative

Surface Mine Reclamation: A Better Alternative

Blog By: Braydan Roark

In this blog, 3L staffer Braydan Roark talks about the various alternatives to surface mine reclamation and restoring land to a higher or better use after the mine is no longer in use. Several landowners and coal companies favor the pastureland method of land reclamation, which involves smoothed over hills with little plant growth. Braydan argues that more landowners and coal companies ought to consider the forestland use reclamation method, which aims to restore post-mining land to a productive forest habitat.

Agriculture's Best Kept Secrets: The Potential Harm of the FTC's Proposed Non-Compete Ban

Agriculture's Best Kept Secrets: The Potential Harm of the FTC's Proposed Non-Compete Ban

Blog By: Shelton Owen

In this blog, 2L staffer Shelton Owen warns that the FTC’s proposed ban on non-compete clauses could have a detrimental effect on agriculture. Specifically, she argues that the ban would inhibit agricultural producers’ ability to protect trade secrets, such as cultivation techniques, fertilizer recipes, and other specialized creation methods. To avoid this, Shelton argues that the ban should not go into place.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Uranium

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Uranium

Blog By: Leen M. Heresh

The Price-Anderson Act was put in place to compensate members of the public who incur damages from nuclear and radiological incidents. In this blog, 3L staffer Leen Heresh discusses the shortcomings of the Price-Anderson Act through cases involving plaintiffs in Paducah, Kentucky and Portsmouth, Ohio. Heresh ultimately argues that the Price-Anderson Act should be repealed as it does not truly help the impacted plaintiffs as written.

They Keep Food on Our Tables and It's Time the Federal Government Returned the Favor: A Call for the Expansion of Overtime Compensation Rights to Agricultural Workers

They Keep Food on Our Tables and It's Time the Federal Government Returned the Favor: A Call for the Expansion of Overtime Compensation Rights to Agricultural Workers

Blog By: Breanna Carper

Breanna Carper, 3L staffer, discusses the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and its intentional omission of agricultural workers from its protections in this piece. Breanna advocates for Congress to rectify this and afford agricultural laborers a minimum wage, overtime pay, and other benefits enjoyed by laborers in other industries.

Sustainable Practices of the Bourbon Industry in Times of Climate Change

Sustainable Practices of the Bourbon Industry in Times of Climate Change

Blog By: Yuha Jung

In this blog, 2L staffer Yuha Jung talks about the potential impacts of climate change on key resources utilized in Kentucky’s bourbon industry, such as corn and white oak trees. Yuha calls on bourbon producers across the state to align themselves with the goals of the Paris Agreement to prevent the decline of these resources and so bourbon production can continue to thrive.

Building a More Sustainable Future: How Traditional Architecture Can Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Buildings

Building a More Sustainable Future: How Traditional Architecture Can Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Buildings

Blog By: John Hayman

Traditional styles of architecture tend to be more sustainable, while modern styles of architecture tend to be less sustainable. In this blog, 3L staffer John Hayman considers the carbon footprint of different types of architecture and argues for the construction of architecture that is less environmentally destructive.

Conservation or Exploitation?: Restricting Conservation Easement Syndicates

Conservation or Exploitation?: Restricting Conservation Easement Syndicates

Blog By: Joseph White

Conservation easements are a tool that private parties can use to protect lands by receiving tax deductions in exchange for agreeing to land use restrictions. However, some groups of investors are taking advantage of this tool by making questionable appraisals of their property before getting an easement, allowing them to receive vastly larger deductions. In this blog, 2L staffer Joseph White discusses how a new law passed by Congress addresses these questionable practices by limiting the eligibility for those deductions.