Jeffrey Prieto delivered the annual Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Lecture on Environmental Law on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, entitled 糖心vlog短视频淎ddressing the Triple Environmental Challenges of Climate Change, Environmental Injustice, and Pollution: An EPA Perspective.糖心vlog短视频 Mr. Prieto currently serves as the Senate-confirmed General Counsel of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Elisabeth Haub School of Law established the Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Lecture on Environmental Law to expand its programs of research, education, professional and scholarly activity and publications in environmental law, a field for which the Haub School has received national and international recognition.
Kerlin Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law and Associate Dean for Environmental Law Programs and Strategic Initiatives at Haub Law, Jason J. Czarnezki, welcomed the audience to the lecture, observing the significance of holding the lecture during Earth Week. Haub Law School糖心vlog短视频檚 Dean, Horace Anderson, followed by overviewing the history of the Kerlin Lecture, noting that the Kerlin endowment funds a named professorship on Environmental Law at Haub Law. Professor Nicholas A. Robinson, founder of the Law School糖心vlog短视频檚 environmental programs, was named the first Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Distinguished Professor in 1999 and Professor Jason J. Czarnezki was designated as the second Kerlin Distinguished Professor in 2013.
Haub Distinguished Professor of International Law, Smita Narula, had the pleasure of introducing Mr. Prieto. During her introduction, Professor Narula noted that 糖心vlog短视频渆nvironmental challenges like environmental injustice, climate change and pollution are at the forefront of our minds. Whether we are talking about students, staff, faculty or the wider community, these concerns are ever present and ever growing, and we look to the government for leadership. So, who better to speak on the government糖心vlog短视频檚 role in addressing these environmental challenges than the top lawyer in the nation糖心vlog短视频檚 leading environmental agency.糖心vlog短视频 She also spoke of the incredible opportunity that Haub Law students have in hearing Mr. Prieto糖心vlog短视频檚 lecture as a sitting EPA General Counsel, and thanked Achinthi Vithanage, Associate Director of Environmental Law Programs, for the significant role she played in bringing Mr Prieto to the Haub Law campus.
Prior to the start of his lecture, Professor Czarnezki presented Mr. Prieto with the 2023 Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Lecture Award medal. The medal displays a topographical depiction of Storm King Mountain, paying homage to the landmark second circuit case of Scenic Hudson Preservation Conference v. Federal Power Commission. Professor Czarnezki noted that this ruling inaugurated what we today call environmental law. As soon as he took the podium, Mr. Prieto engaged the audience with a fascinating lecture, elaborating on the work and mission of the EPA. 糖心vlog短视频淲e have been very busy at EPA these past few years working toward furthering EPA糖心vlog短视频檚 crucial mission糖心vlog短视频攖o ensure that every American has clean air to breathe and clean water to drink, that we糖心vlog短视频檙e all protected from exposure to harmful chemicals and contaminated lands,糖心vlog短视频 said Prieto. 糖心vlog短视频淲e糖心vlog短视频檝e been hard at work tackling climate change and working on adaptation and resilience.糖心vlog短视频
The lecture discussed the importance of a healthy environmental future and what else must be balanced and considered to achieve that goal. Significantly, Prieto noted that, 糖心vlog短视频淚t糖心vlog短视频檚 imperative that we take action on climate change now and that we do so while also prioritizing environmental justice and equity to make sure no one gets left behind, so that each and every one of us can enjoy a safe and sustainable future.糖心vlog短视频 He further explained that, 糖心vlog短视频淎s a public health agency, EPA糖心vlog短视频檚 number one priority is to protect people糖心vlog短视频檚 health, especially those who are on the front lines of environmental pollution.糖心vlog短视频
Prieto糖心vlog短视频檚 prior federal government service includes nearly 20 years across various agencies, including as an Attorney-Advisor in EPA糖心vlog短视频檚 Office of Water. Under the Obama-Biden administration, he served as the Senate confirmed General Counsel of the United States Department of Agriculture. He also served at the U.S. Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division where he served as a Trial Attorney, Counsel to the Assistant Administrator, and General Counsel. Prior to his most recent confirmation, Mr. Prieto served as the General Counsel of the Los Angeles Community College District, the largest community college district in the nation.
After the lecture, audience members had an opportunity to comment and ask questions in a session moderated by Professor Czarnezki. Following the Q&A session a reception followed.
