College of Law Faculty Scholarship
Source Publication (e.g., journal title)
Tennessee Law Review
Publication Date
2013
Abstract
In 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that Congress intended the Endangered Species Act to afford "the highest of priorities" to endangered species. (Tennessee Valley Authority v. Hill; 437 U.S. 153). The Court's ruling prevented -- at least, for a period of time -- the completion of TVA's Tellico dam project. Since then, it has been endlessly evaluated, celebrated, excoriated, and commemorated. The "snail darter" case (as it has come to be known) has captivated an entire generation of environmental and natural resources law academics, practitioners, and students, and its influence persists some thirty-plus years later. Indeed, the case made the top ten list in a survey of lawyers' perceptions of the most important cases in environmental law (Salzman and Ruhl; 2010). Closer to home, the snail darter case is closely associated with students and faculty of the University of Tennessee and is the embodiment of UT's collaborative and paraxial educational environment. It is also highly representative of the Law School's rich history of engaging with members of the local community to advance the law in groundbreaking and important ways. In other words, it is a perfect example of the very type of interdisciplinary project that the Baker Center Energy and Environment Forum was designed to promote. This Foreword introduces the context, speakers, and sentiment of the Spring 2013 Symposium entitled, "TVA v Hill: The Greatest Little Story Never Told".
Recommended Citation
Jacobs, Becky, "Foreword to Symposium Volume: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) v. Hill: The Greatest Little Story Never Told" (2013). College of Law Faculty Scholarship. 89.
https://ir.law.utk.edu/utk_lawpubl/89