Environmental Law

Legal Memorandum

To: City of Riverside

From:

Subject: RRE International Smelting Project Legal Memorandum

The following is a legal memorandum discussing concerns that the proposed expansion by RRE International may impact the local environment. Since the smelter itself is not the only concern, we will have to approach possible regulatory remedies in three stages. The first stage addresses the type of energy that RRE International intends to use to operate the facility. In this case they have proposed constructing a coal-fired power plant. The second stage is the operation of the smelter and the impact that water discharges will have on the environment. Currently, the plan is for the water to be discharged into the Long Trout River, which is the city’s primary source for drinking water. The Long Trout River is also a major recreational area for the city and we must evaluate the environmental and aesthetic damage that the proposed water discharge may create. The last stage of evaluation is the site that RRE International has chosen for the smelter. The site is located in a low-income neighborhood and this normally leads to problems in proper regulation and oversight.

Stage 1: Operation of the Coal-fired Power Plant

Coal is a major source of energy in the United States that we simply cannot do without until a proper clean fuel is developed that can replace it. With that being said, the burning of coal to create energy also has a substantial impact on the environment. Although radiation occurs naturally in our environment, the production and use of coal as an energy source releases far more radiation into the environment that is acceptable. According to Gabbard (2008), “coal combustion produces carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are suspected to cause climatic warming, and it is a source of sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides, which are harmful to human health and may be largely responsible for...