Blog By: Antonio C. Ellzey
In this blog, 3L Antonio C. Ellzey points out that California Governor Newsom recently vetoed a pending California state law that aimed to address the dangers of gas appliances. Specifically, the new law would have required manufacturers to place warning labels on gas stoves to inform consumers of their health effects. Some say the new law would help build awareness around a hidden danger while others say the new would restrict Californians’ freedom. Ellzey believes the pending law would positively impact Californians because they can make better-informed decisions around their health and safety, which would ultimately help save lives.
Blog By: Stevi Whitman
In this blog, 3L staffer Stevi Whitman argues for the use of certification marks to promote authenticity within the whiskey industry by introducing the Estate Whiskey Alliance® (EWA). The EWA is a member led association spearheaded by UK Innovate at the University of Kentucky, the James B. Beam Institute, Marker’s Mark Distillery, and other founding members, tasked with ensuring quality standards of whiskey production, promoting the benefits of local sourcing, and advancing sustainability efforts throughout the whiskey industry through the use of certification marks.
Blog By: Phillip Burress
Kentucky is home to 100 distilleries in 42 counties and produces 95% of the world's bourbon. In this Blog, 3L Phillip Burress discusses the threat posed by "Whiskey Fungus" on Kentucky property owners and the legal challenges facing Kentucky distillers.
Blog By: Ashton Edwards
In this Blog, 3L Staffer Ashton Edwards argues that instead of staying silent on the issue, Congress should respond to the interstate commerce concerns that reside in the Prop 12, a proposition that was made law by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2023. Edwards discusses that so far, Congress has yet to address the arguments and concerns of Farmers, the Court, or citizens, even though this law arguably has a substantial impact on interstate commerce.
Blog By: Antonio C. Ellzey
In this Blog, 3L Staffer Antonio C. Ellzey discusses the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry, particularly the impact of Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code, which limits deductions for businesses engaged in the cannabis trade due to federal prohibition. Ellzey discusses the potential benefits of rescheduling cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, which he argues would alleviate financial burdens on cannabis businesses, enhance safety, and stimulate economic growth.
In July, the Georgia Legislature enacted the Solar Power Free-Market Financing Act of 2015. The purpose of the Act is to encourage a more affordable use of solar power in Georgia by allowing residents and businesses to lease solar technology from third party solar panel companies. The Act ensures that residents and businesses do not have to bear the considerable initial cost of purchasing, installing, or maintaining the solar panels.
As prices at the pump continue to plummet, it is only normal to wonder what unseen force is behind the recent fluctuation in the price of crude oil and how long the SUV-friendly prices are here to stay. The economic rollercoaster that a barrel of crude oil rides annually is driven by many factors, the most fundamental of which is supply and demand. Surprisingly, and contrary to what many may believe, a solution to keeping the cost of gasoline down for good in the United States is to export the supply of crude oil that we have elsewhere.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the newly independent Armenia found itself in a precarious situation lacking essential infrastructure and governmental leadership previously supplied by the Kremlin. In the time since, Armenia – as well as numerous other countries of the former Soviet Bloc – has slowly but steadily been on the path to modernization. Unfortunately, however, many aspects of this process are lagging behind, perhaps the most significant being Armenia’s rising environmental stressors.
Every two years, people from around the World come together to celebrate their nationality at the Olympics. Whether it is the Winter, or the Summer Olympics, the games attract the attention of people from all over the world through their television sets, the Internet, media publications, and even those who travel to the locations that host the Olympic games. Recent Olympic games have seen a significant cyber threat to the athletes and spectators visiting. However, this year it seems that a different threat will be affecting the athletes and those working the games; contaminated water.
“Coal keeps the lights on.” You can find this phrase plastered on billboards, license plates, and bumper stickers throughout Kentucky and West Virginia. These states comprise “coal country,” a place where the words of this clever phrase run deep. Coal literally keeps the lights on in these two states, as more than 90% of electricity in both states comes from coal. Additionally, this resource helps to produce almost 40,000 jobs in the two states combined, providing many individuals and families with an income to actually “keep the lights on." The coal industry has been under attack in recent years, with the EPA proposing a rule in June of 2014 that was considered “one of the strongest actions ever taken by the U.S. government to fight climate change.” However, a recent Supreme Court decision blocking this stringent regulation may just keep the lights on a little longer for the coal industry.
On July 2, 2015, BP settled litigation from the now infamous 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill that killed 11 crewmembers and released 200 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, which ultimately resulted in the deaths of thousands of marine animals and the loss of billions in economic damages. The settlement, the largest environmental settlement in American history, if approved, is between BP, the federal government, and the state and local governments of the five greatly affected states.
Recently, students from all over the country have started pushing their college or university to divest from fossil fuel companies. Students at Swarthmore College, where the movement was born in 2011, have been staging a sit-in for nearly a month asking the school to sell its holdings in the top 200 coal, oil, and gas companies.
For the first time in California’s history, Governor Jerry Brown has ordered a 25 percent cut in urban water usage. “People should realize we are in a new era. The idea of your nice little green lawn getting watered every day, those days are past,” Brown remarked. The restrictions consists of not washing down sidewalks or driveways, recirculating water in fountains, and only serving water to customers per request at restaurants, among many other things. The mandatory water restrictions are the consequence of a drought that has harangued the Southwest for four consecutive years.
