Big Talk and Little Action on Renewable Energy, 49 J. Marshall L. Rev. 571 (2015)

The United States has been in pursuit of a conflicting objective—pursuing an “all of the above” energy policy while trying to reduce emissions that drive climate change. As the United States pursues climate mitigation objectives, renewable energy must be built out in every region of the country. This article explores the tension between renewable energy development and its visible conflicts with land and wildlife conservation and environmental protection goals. While it is certain that climate change will bring devastating harms to the planet, the adoption of an aggressive renewable energy build-out will also have environmental impacts.

Managing these impacts is an important component of a sustainable energy strategy.