Current Context

Abstract: Living along the coast can bring great joys and great perils. Just recently, Hurricane Michael swept through the southeast spreading destruction from winds and flooding. Climate change is increasing this likelihood of flooding during storms in two ways: 1) by increasing the level of the oceans and therefore tidal surges, and 2) because warmer air holds more moisture and produces more rain. As an M.I.T.

Abstract: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – the two agencies with the authority to regulate air pollution and fuel efficiency standards, respectively – are currently working together to revise standards for vehicles sold in the United States in the coming decades. Gasoline-powered automobiles contribute to air pollution and climate change.

Abstract: Last week, as students protested gun violence and demanded that legislators act on gun control, we were reminded of the persuasive power of young people to call attention to a serious national issue. Horror in the wake of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting has prompted students, parents, and other concerned citizens to pressure Florida legislators to address issues of school gun violence.

Abstract: Californians know drought. It is an ever present concern in this arid state, particularly as its population and economy – and therefore the demand on fresh water – continue to grow. A recent five-year drought prompted Governor Brown in 2015 to mandate a 25% reduction in urban water use, and state water officials set a goal of 55 gallons a day per resident for personal, indoor water use.

Abstract: The Department of the Interior and President Trump recently announced plans to open the largest amount of offshore areas to oil exploration in the nation’s history. This comes at a time when oil prices are relatively low due to high production levels, and eight years after the Deepwater Horizon spill off the coast of Louisiana that led to numerous deaths and an ongoing economic impact estimated at over $8 billion.

Abstract: Immigration is a quintessentially American issue, given that immigrants and their descendants make up the vast majority of the U.S. population (the 2010 census indicates that American Indians and Alaska Natives make up only 1.7% of our total population). Of the 98% of the population that is not considered Native American, 13% were born abroad, and later moved to the United States.

Abstract: Like so much today, the topic of federal land ownership is highly politicized. Two cases in the news highlight the tensions between the two sides of the public lands debate. On one side are those who believe that it is appropriate for the federal government to protect the lands and resources in national parks, forests and other public lands so that they remain in good shape for current and future generations.

Abstract: What do wolves, grizzly bears, and mountain lions all have in common? They are all native to the American West, where they have had a long and difficult relationship with people; and, their activities have been in the news lately. Like all wild animals, these large predators do not know property lines.

Abstract: In 2015, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) came into effect to keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons in exchange for a gradual relief from sanctions that have crippled its economy. In 2015, when the Obama administration presented the JCPOA to Congress, Congress was split on how to handle it.

Abstract: At 770 feet high, Oroville is the nation’s tallest dam and in February 2017 it almost failed. Heavy winter rains had caused the lake behind the dam to rise by fifty feet in just a matter of days. When it looked as if the dam might not be able to hold the nearly 3.5 million acre feet of water, approximately 180,000 residents downstream were required to evacuate their homes.