Gee what a coincident. Neil Proto opened the courts to environmental lawsuits in 1973, and there was a corresponding increase in Forest Fires.
Lawyer to discuss case that opened courts to citizen environmental lawsuits
http://waddle.uoregon.edu/?id=478
EUGNE–(April 3, 2006)–Neil Proto, who argued the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case that opened the courts to environmental lawsuits from citizens, will speak at the University of Oregon on Monday, April 10.
Proto, who has 30 years of experience in land use, environmental and federal litigation, will discuss his book, "To a High Court: The Tumult and Choices That Led to United States of America v. SCRAP."
The lecture, sponsored by the University of Oregon School of Law Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program, will begin at 7 p.m. at the Many Nations Longhouse, 1630 Columbia. Admission is free and open to the public.
In 1995, Proto represented an ad hoc committee of authors and historians in an effort to stop the Walt Disney Company from building a theme park in the Virginia Piedmont, an historic area of hills and farms near both the Manassas Civil War battlefield and the White House. Within a year, Disney had abandoned the project.
Proto received a law degree from Georgetown University and later worked as an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice. He is a partner at the international firm of Schnader, Harrison, Segal & Lewis LLP and also is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Public Policy Institute. He is the author of numerous publications and has spoken about environmental and legal issues around the country.
Contact: Pauline Austin, (541) 346-3129
Source: Eliza Schmidkunz, (541) 346-3883
Link: http://www.law.uoregon.edu/news/article.php?show=198
Is this just one small step toward REAL tort reform ?? The same tort reform that Clinton and Gore killed, for a fee (campaign contribution of $160,000 for the trail lawyers association)? Just one of Billy's many quid pro quo deals.
When the GOP won the House in 1994, Newt (The Wise) Gingrich beat up on his caucus to defund the left. From NPR, Naral, to enviro whackjob lawsuits he worked hard to save our tax dollars from those who would do hurt our economy and country. Of course, even after the electoral win there were too many Republicans without spine enough to risk angering the left.
Such lawsuits are sometimes covertly backed by corporations to hinder smaller competition.
Such suits work out to be pretty da@# GOOD business for the folks in DC...works out well for the lobbyist, the attorney and the politician....