Public Interest Environmental Law Conference
Encyclopedia
The Public Interest Environmental Law Conference (PIELC) is held annually in early March at the University of Oregon
Law School in Eugene
, Oregon
, United States
. The conference is a gathering of environmental activists
, advocates, and students from across the United States and the world.
PIELC is organized and hosted by the students involved in the environmental law society "Land Air Water" (LAW). Land Air Water is a student group at the University of Oregon School of Law. It is co-sponsored by Friends of Land Air Water, a University of Oregon/Land Air Water alumni group that helps advise the student organizers.
Typically the conference has six to ten internationally recognized keynote addresses, and over 120 panels. The conference has been held since 1983 and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2007.
The conference is held on the first weekend in March. Early panels start Thursday afternoon, and the official opening is Thursday evening. It closes with a final address Sunday at noon. Typically the conference has around 2,000 attendees.
The content of the conference is aimed at professional environmental activists (i.e. people that work in non-profit
public interest
organizations such as the Wilderness Society
, the Sierra Club
, and the Oregon Natural Desert Association) and public interest environmental attorneys (e.g. Earthjustice, Natural Resources Defense Council, and private public interest attorneys). CLE
credits are available.
The conference is also of interest to students of environmental law
and environmental studies
, and each year it hosts groups from around a dozen different schools.
The conference is unapologetically pro-public interest, and pro-environment. It does not attempt to persuade the general public that environmental issues matter. It is a forum for the people who are actively enforcing environmental law, and promoting environmental values to talk among themselves, and share experiences, strategies, and news.
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
Law School in Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The conference is a gathering of environmental activists
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
, advocates, and students from across the United States and the world.
PIELC is organized and hosted by the students involved in the environmental law society "Land Air Water" (LAW). Land Air Water is a student group at the University of Oregon School of Law. It is co-sponsored by Friends of Land Air Water, a University of Oregon/Land Air Water alumni group that helps advise the student organizers.
Typically the conference has six to ten internationally recognized keynote addresses, and over 120 panels. The conference has been held since 1983 and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2007.
The conference is held on the first weekend in March. Early panels start Thursday afternoon, and the official opening is Thursday evening. It closes with a final address Sunday at noon. Typically the conference has around 2,000 attendees.
The content of the conference is aimed at professional environmental activists (i.e. people that work in non-profit
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
public interest
Public interest
The public interest refers to the "common well-being" or "general welfare." The public interest is central to policy debates, politics, democracy and the nature of government itself...
organizations such as the Wilderness Society
The Wilderness Society (United States)
The Wilderness Society is an American organization that is dedicated to protecting America's wilderness. It was formed in 1935 and currently has over 300,000 members and supporters.-Founding:The society was incorporated on January 21, 1935...
, the Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
, and the Oregon Natural Desert Association) and public interest environmental attorneys (e.g. Earthjustice, Natural Resources Defense Council, and private public interest attorneys). CLE
Continuing Legal Education
Continuing legal education is professional education of lawyers that takes place after their initial admission to the bar. In many states in the United States, CLE participation is required of attorneys to maintain their license to practice law...
credits are available.
The conference is also of interest to students of environmental law
Environmental law
Environmental law is a complex and interlocking body of treaties, conventions, statutes, regulations, and common law that operates to regulate the interaction of humanity and the natural environment, toward the purpose of reducing the impacts of human activity...
and environmental studies
Environmental studies
Environmental studies is the academic field which systematically studies human interaction with the environment. It is a broad interdisciplinary field of study that includes the natural environment, built environment, and the sets of relationships between them...
, and each year it hosts groups from around a dozen different schools.
The conference is unapologetically pro-public interest, and pro-environment. It does not attempt to persuade the general public that environmental issues matter. It is a forum for the people who are actively enforcing environmental law, and promoting environmental values to talk among themselves, and share experiences, strategies, and news.