News and Events

Green Energy Institute staff and students are advancing solutions under Oregon’s POWER Act to address the environmental and economic impacts of data center expansion. The Oregon Public Utility Commission’s recent ruling, citing GEI throughout, ordered some of the most innovative and protective outcomes from a public utility commission in the nation.

Lewis & Clark Law School will welcome four new assistant professors this summer, bringing expertise in civil rights, public defense, criminal law, environmental litigation and more.

Registration is now open for Lewis & Clark Law School’s 2026 summer sessions, featuring specialized programs and a new Self-Service system for registration.

Ten faculty from across the institution were honored this month at the second annual Presidential Faculty Excellence Award ceremony.

Henry Sollitt JD ’27 is one of two Wyss Scholars selected from Lewis & Clark Law School in 2026. As a Wyss Scholar, Henry plans to leverage his background in public lands conservation, wildfire response, and climate advocacy to advance systemic solutions for sustainable forest management and the protection of the American West’s forests and waters.

Brooke Helstrom JD ’27 is one of two Wyss Scholars selected from Lewis & Clark Law School in 2026. As a Wyss Scholar, Brooke plans to draw on her experience in wildlife conservation, watershed restoration, and environmental litigation to advance the protection of species and ecosystems through public interest environmental law.

After nearly two decades at Lewis & Clark Law School, Dr. Carma Corcoran has retired as the Director of American Indian Law, leaving behind a legacy of expanded programming, student mentorship, and national leadership in Indian Law.

Professor Erica Lyman, Lewis & Clark Law School’s Global Law Alliance, and international partners have launched the Food Systems NDC Scorecard, a new tool evaluating how national climate plans address the role of food systems in climate mitigation and adaptation.

Lewis & Clark Law School has named Bhutanese lawyer Chhime Dorji as the 2026 recipient of the Karuna Foundation International LLM Scholarship, which supports international environmental law students from countries where the foundation works. He will join Lewis & Clark’s top-ranked Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law program in January 2026, using his LLM studies to strengthen environmental law, climate justice, and sustainable development in Bhutan.

Last year’s newsletter reflected on what GEI had accomplished in a “best of” moment of fun before the chaos and drama of the next administration descended on us. We never could have guessed what we were all about to face … 

GEI staff attorney expressed concerns about Pacific Power’s decision to remove the Boardman to Hemingway planned transmission line from its Integrated Resource Plan. In response to a citizens’ request to revoke the certificate allowing condemnation of private property.

GEI, Sierra Club, Mobilizing Climate Action Together, and the Northwest Energy Coalition argued that the that the certificate was premised upon the transmission line’s “broad public benefits, not the needs of a single private entity.” Allowing PacifiCorp to change course would “violate the spirit and legal framework under which the line was approved by this commission,” Alex Houston, an attorney with the Green Energy Institute who represents the groups, told commissioners. It would also “harm Oregon customers and set a dangerous precedent wherein the justifications supporting issuance of a certificate may summarily be disregarded once the utility gets approval,” he said.

Meet three outstanding JD scholarship students committed to pursuing careers challenging industrial animal agriculture: Josephine Blatny, Camille Bond, and Nicole Wood.

How can we meet growing energy needs, prepare for extreme weather, and modernize the grid? Join the NW Energy Coalition in Portland on December 3 for expert insights, collaboration, and solutions at the Fall 2025 Clean & Affordable Energy Conference. 

‘Nothing Scarier Than Climate Change’ Action Week is right around the corner! There are a variety of different events to attend from going door to door canvassing for electrification policy in Bend to sitting in on a very important Bend City Council worktime meeting. Bend City Council has a big opportunity to make major strides towards our climate goals, so we have a big responsibility to make our voices heard and ensure a safe, clean future for all!