Albany Law School Faculty Co-edit Book on Greening Local Government

American Bar Association book provides case studies and legal strategies to promote sustainability and fiscal savings for local governments

Albany Law School faculty members Patricia E. Salkin and Keith H. Hirokawa co-edited the recently published book Greening Local Government: Legal Strategies for Promoting Sustainability, Efficiency, and Fiscal Savings, which covers greening governmental operations, creating green communities and litigating green issues.

“Our goal is to provide a very practical reference for local government officials, who are increasingly grappling with the need for sustainable practices while also facing ever-constricting budgets,” said Professor Salkin, who is an associate dean at Albany Law School and director of the school’s Government Law Center.

Greening Local Government was published this year by the American Bar Association Section of State and Local Government Law. Several of its chapters were authored by Albany Law School professors, including the co-editors:

• “The Legal Implications of Green Policies by State and Local Government Employers” by Professor Rosemary Queenan
• “Paperless Government: Moving toward Sustainability” by Professor Salkin and Howard F. Gross
• “Urban Forests as Green Infrastructure” by Professor Hirokawa
• “When Cities Sue: The Standing of Municipalities in Nuisance Litigation to Combat Climate Change” by Professor Raymond H. Brescia
• “Ensuring Government is Getting the Green Projects Expected” by Professor Salkin and Susan Herendeen ‘12

“To illustrate many of the book’s legal strategies, we also included comprehensive case studies of communities that have taken on the task of responsible, sustainable governance, including post-Katrina New Orleans, Miami, and North Charleston in South Carolina,” said Professor Hirokawa. “The result is a valuable resource that should provide lessons relevant to the more than 40,000 local governments throughout the United States.”