The Pritzker Environmental Law and Policy Briefs are published by UCLA School of Law in conjunction with researchers from a wide range of academic disciplines as well as the broader environmental law community. The papers provide expert analysis to engage further public dialogue on important issues impacting the environment. This paper series is made possible through a generous donation by Anthony “Tony” Pritzker. 

 

No. 19. Wielding the Power of ISRs: Using Indirect Source Rules to Fight Pollution from Mega Facilities

April 2025 | Brennon Mendez and Cara Horowitz

This brief discusses a set of air regulatory tools that can help empower states and local air districts to do more to reduce harms caused by air pollution to communities. The brief details options for adopting and enforcing so-called indirect source rules (ISRs).

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No. 18. Highly Charged: An Explainer on California's Income-Graduated Fixed Charge Debate 

April 2024 | Ruthie Lazenby

Rate design doesn’t usually make headlines, but California’s consideration of an income-graduated fixed charge has stirred some controversy, giving voice to fierce debates about the future of our electric power system. This policy paper makes several recommendations for research institutions, the CPUC, California lawmakers, and journalists interested in covering this issue.

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No. 17. Strengthening California's Hazard Disclosure Laws to Address Sea Level Rise Risks

August 2023 | Heather Dadashi 

The threat of flooding and erosion is increasing throughout the United States as a warming atmosphere makes precipitation events more extreme and contributes to sea level rise. This Pritzker Brief examines California’s existing real estate disclosure practices and suggests mechanisms to improve them to account for the accelerating risk of rising sea levels.

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No. 16. Tenant-Friendly Building Decarbonization in Los Angeles: Maximizing the Benefits and Minimizing the Harms

June 2023 | Daniel Carpenter-Gold

The City of Los Angeles is working toward eliminating greenhouse-gas emissions from all buildings in the city by 2050. One of the most crucial pieces will be retrofitting existing buildings. This brief looks at the policy choices and makes a series of recommendations for how to pursue decarbonization that protects and benefits the city’s low-income tenants.  

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No 15. Increasing Access to Green Space and Affordable Housing in Los Angeles through Joint Development Projects

January 2023 | Beth Kent

This Pritzker Brief focuses on the joint development of parks and affordable housing projects in Los Angeles. After describing the barriers to building parks and affordable housing separately and concurrently, the paper describes the key entities involved in these types of joint development projects, as well as each entity’s funding sources, major programs, strengths, and constraints. View publication page. Download PDF.

 

No 14. How Air Districts Can End NOx Pollution from Household Appliances

March 2022 | Heather Dadashi, Cara Horowitz, and Julia Stein

This policy brief examines California air districts’ legal authority to adopt standards requiring zero-NOx appliances and suggests policy mechanisms to help ensure that the transition to such appliances is equitable and affordable. View publication page. Download PDF.

 

No. 13. Los Angeles’s Transit-Oriented Communities Program

November 21, 2019 | Julia E. Stein

This Pritzker Brief focuses on the City of Los Angeles’ Transit Oriented Communities Affordable Housing Incentive Program, exploring potential constraints and offering recommendations to increase the program’s efficacy. View publication page. Download PDF.

 

No. 12. The California Coastal Commission

June 10, 2019 | Ralph Faust

This Pritzker Brief analyzes the processes and procedures that the California Coastal Commission utilizes in making "quasi-judicial decisions." View publication page. Download PDF.

 

No. 11. Ensuring Safe Drinking Water in Los Angeles County Small Water Systems

December 28, 2018 | Nathaniel Logar, James Salzman, Cara Horowitz

This Pritzker Brief provides recommendations for helping small water systems in Los Angeles County become more resilient. View publication page. Download PDF.

 

No. 10. Controlling Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Transport Fuels

June 20, 2018 | Edward A. Parson, Julia Forgie, Jesse Lueders, Sean B. Hecht

This Pritzker Brief provides a critical review of California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard. View publication page. Download PDF.

 

No. 9. Overcoming Organizational Barriers to Carbon Neutrality

April 17, 2018 | Julia Forgie, Ann Carlson

This Pritzker Brief focuses on lessons the University of California system is learning as it implements its carbon neutrality goal. View publication page. Download PDF.

 

No. 8. Increasing Surface Water Storage in California

June 17, 2017 | Julia Forgie, James Salzman

This Pritzker Brief focuses on legal risks and timeline associated with increasing surface water storage in California. View publication page. Download PDF.

 

No. 7. Tracking Coastal Adaptation

May 12, 2015 | Megan Herzog, Susanne Moser, Sarah Newkirk

This Pritzker Brief focuses on Assembly Bill 2516, a law that requires California to develop a database of actions to plan for sea level rise. View publication page. Download PDF.

 

No. 6. Back in the Fast Lane: How to Speed Public Transit Planning & Construction in California

August 5, 2014 | Ethan Elkind

This Pritzker Brief examines some of the causes of public transit planning and construction delays, identifies flaws in current construction policy, and offers steps to be taken in order to prioritize public health and safety. View publication page. Download PDF.

 

No. 5. Stemming the Tide of Plastic Marine Litter

October 1, 2013 | Katie Mika, Lara Leitner, Mark Gold, Cara Horowitz, Megan Herzog

This Pritzker Brief reviews the universe of studies, policies and international agreements relevant to the problem and provides a suite of recommendations to achieve meaningful reductions in plastic marine litter by the year 2025. View publication page. Download PDF.

 

No. 4. Allocating Under Water: Reforming California's Groundwater Adjudications

September 18, 2013 | M. Rhead Enion

This Pritzker Brief evaluates the adjudicatory process used to resolve groundwater use disputes in California and recommends reforms that could be implemented by the legislature or courts to address problems in the adjudication and post-adjudication management of groundwater resources. View publication page. Download PDF.

 

No. 3. Toxics in Consumer Products: California's Green Chemistry Regulations at a Crossroad

January 30, 2012 | Timothy Malloy

This Pritzker Brief evaluates California's green chemistry legislation (AB 1879). View publication page. Download PDF.

 

No. 2. Bright Roofs, Big City

October 1, 2011 | Cara Horowitz

This Pritzker Brief makes a case for accelerating the adoption of cool roofs in L.A. and recommends law and policy strategies for achieving that goal. View publication page. Download PDF.

 

No. 1. Under Water: Monitoring and Regulating Groundwater in California

July 1, 2011 | M. Rhead Enion

This Pritzker Brief describes the importance of groundwater and the advantages of realigning California's water rights system to better manage groundwater. View publication page. Download PDF.