Water and the Law
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Union College
Environmental Studies Program
1999 Seminar series
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Tuesday 9 February 1999

CAN THERE BE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR ALL?  A REVIEW OF THE EIGHT YEAR COURT CASE CONCERNING CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER IN WOBURN MASS.

Jan Schlichtmann
Thomas M. Kiley P.C. and Associates

7:30 PM,  Nott Memorial
Reception: Hale House

In 1986 Jan Schlichtmann represented eight families from Woburn Mass against W.R. Grace and Beatrice Foods for the contamination of the groundwater that supplies the city of  Woburn.  The case involved establishing the source of trichloroethylene contamination, the transport path of the contaminates and the effects of the contaminated water on some of the residents of Woburn Mass.  The story of this case is chronicled in the recent bestseller “A Civil Action” which is now a major motion picture starring John Travolta as Jan Schlichtmann.

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Wednesday 24 February 1999

NAVIGABILITY OF WATERWAYS IN THE ADIRONDACKS:  THE ADIRONDACK LEAGUE CLUB V. KLIGERMAN ET AL.:  LITIGATION BEHIND THE MOOSE RIVER CASE

William S. Helmer
Bureau Chief, Environmental Protection Bureau, State of New York Office of the  Attorney General (now Principal Attorney, N.Y.S. Power Authority)

7:30 PM, Nott Memorial
Reception: Strauss Lounge, Reamer Campus Center

In 1998 William Helmer argued the Adirondack League Club, Inc. v. Kligerman et al., case in the NY state court of appeals.  In 1991 five boaters paddled across private club land along a 12 mile stretch of the Moose River.  In 1994 the case was thrown out of court because the river was deemed “navigable.”  The appeal focused on the meaning of the original 19th century definition of “navigable.”  The case has important implications for recreational use of rivers in New York state, especially the Adirondacks.

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Tuesday 9 March 1999

A RIVER, A DAM, AND A LAKE: GREAT SACANDAGA LAKE REVISITED

Willard D. Roth, Ph.D.
President, Great Sacandaga Lake Association
Professor Emeritus of Biology

7:30 PM,  Nott Memorial
Reception: Strauss Lounge, Reamer Campus Center

At the turn of the century a dam was constructed on the Sacandaga River to alleviate flooding on lower reaches on the Hudson River.  Through time, incidental use of the Lake and water flowing from the Lake has resulted in a number of competing and conflicting interests.  One of the secondary uses was power generation, and recently a requirement of relicensing for that power generation resulted in public hearings to assess water quality issues.  The result has been a complicated battle between local, state, and federal interests surrounding property rights, recreational use, power generation, natural resources, and others.
 

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All talks are free and open to the public.

Please call John I. Garver, Director of Environmental Studies Program  in advance as  room assignments and times are subject to change.   518-388-6770