Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative at Iowa Law

Generating opportunities for the College of Law to deepen and broaden engagement with environmental issues in Iowa and beyond.

Programming Highlights

Adapting to a Warming World: Perspectives from the Environmental Law Collaborative

Environmental scholars from around the country, collectively named the Environmental Law Collaborative, joined HELI at the UI College of Law for a series of talks exploring what it means to adapt to a warming world.

The Human Rights Conundrum: Climate Change Interventions as Both Problem and Solution

HELI, The Journal of Gender, Race & Justice (JGRJ) and Transnational Law and Contemporary Problems (TLCP) co-sponsored a symposium on the human rights implications of voluntary carbon markets and geoengineering technologies to combat the climate crisis.

Scholarship Highlights

Constitutional Resilience

Professor Shannon Roesler published an article in Washington and Lee Law Review (November 2023, Forthcoming). The article applies resilience theory to constitutional governance structures and examines how recent Supreme Court decisions either disrupt or support governance doctrines that facilitate our ability to adapt to climate change.

The 30×30 Initiative in the Midwest: Protecting Critical Habitat Where Corn Is King

Research Fellow Ingrid Gronstal published the article, Land Use in the Midwest: How the 30x30 Initiative Can Help Preserve and Protect Critical Habitat in States Where Corn Is King, in NR&E's Fall 2023 issue. The article discusses biodiversity, the 30 by 30 initiative, land use, and opportunities for conservation in the state. 

Student Highlights

HELI establishes Iowa’s first environmental moot court team

HELI created and launched the first environmental moot court team in Iowa Law’s history. The three-person Iowa Law team is competing in the Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition (NELMCC) at Pace University’s The Elisabeth Haub School of Law.

HELI launches new environmental law field course

HELI launched the first environmental law field course at the University of Iowa, with the support of the University of Iowa Wildlife Instruction and Leadership Development (UI WILD) team and the UI College of Education. The course, “Wildlife and Habitat Conservation Law,” ran August 14–18.

Community Collaborations

Roesler joins UI climate researchers in $6 million NOAA grant

Professor Shannon Roesler will serve as a co-principal investigator for the new environmental research center housed in the College of Public Health. The project aims to enhance climate resilience efforts in the Central Midwest region and establishes a 13th regional team within NOAA’s Climate Adaptation Partnerships (CAP)/Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) network.

HELI publishes Iowa Carbon Pipelines Digital Map

The Iowa Carbon Pipelines Digital Map details ongoing permit requests for proposed carbon pipelines in affected counties across the state of Iowa. The three proposed pipeline routes are highlighted on the map so users can review relevant information about the pipeline project at the county level.

To see the Digital Map, click here.

Looking Ahead to 2024

Save the Date: The Inflation Reduction Act Panel Series

HELI will host "The Inflation Reduction Act: Implementing the clean energy and climate provisions" panel series at the UI College of Law on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024.

Save the Date: Wetlands Preservation after Sackett v. EPA Panel Series

HELI will host the "Wetlands Preservation after Sackett v. EPA: Land Conservation and What it Means for Iowa" panel series at the UI College of Law on Friday, April 5, 2024. 

More HELI Highlights from 2023

Student Spotlights

Other News

Dean Kevin Washburn gave talk at the 69th Annual Natural Resources and Energy Law Institute 

Iowa Law Dean and Professor of Law Kevin Washburn gave a talk titled "The March of Co-Management - The Expanding Role of Tribes" at the 69th Annual Natural Resources and Energy Law Institute, hosted by The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law in July, 2023. This talk was centered around Dean Washburn's paper, "Facilitating Tribal Co-Management of Federal Public Lands" published in the Wisconsin Law Review.

Visiting Adjunct Professor Robert "Andy" Andersen taught a course on disaster law and shared his experiences in Antarctica

During the Fall 2023 semester, Visiting Adjunct Professor Robert "Andy" Andersen, 76JD, taught a course at Iowa Law called "Environmental Disaster Law and Policy." This course was an introduction to the law and policy of environmental disasters, including climate change.

Professor Andersen also gave a talk called "Antarctica: Bellwether of the Planet" where he shared the law governing Antarctica, the Continent's role in understanding environmental science and climate change, and his personal experiences working there.

Visiting Professor Stephen Miller gave talk on wildfire for Environmental Law Society

Visiting Professor Stephen Miller gave a talk titled "Good Fire Federalism: Rethinking Prescribed Fire Liability and Regulation" for Iowa Law's Environmental Law Society on October 17, 2023.

2023 Events and Programs

HELI hosted several events throughout 2023. The full list of events is here. Click on the links to learn more about each event:

We look forward to continuing our work in 2024 and beyond. For further information about the HELI at Iowa Law, contact lawmail-heli@uiowa.edu.