1127 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
It has long been understood that broad congressional delegations of rulemaking authority have empowered administrative agencies to play a robust role in setting policy priorities for many subjects, including the environment. This phenomenon is even more evident when realizing that most of the major environmental laws were passed several decades ago and have seen little updating since. Has Congress purposefully, or because of its inattention to passing or amending environmental laws, been ceding its policy-setting authority to others? This panel will consider that question by looking at the role of not just administrative agencies handling environmental issues but also other non-congressional mechanisms for controlling the environmental law and policy agenda.