Forty years ago the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was signed into law. The ESA's authority has been tested by numerous cases over its 40-year history, but the landmark environmental case -- Tennessee Valley Authority vs. Hill (1978) -- was the first Supreme Court decision interpreting the ESA. The Snail Darter case, as it is often called, remains one of the most studied American environmental law cases to date (as all current and former NRE562 students know too well).

To acknowledge the 40th anniversary of the ESA, the Environmental Policy and Planning field of study is pleased to announce that Zygmunt Plater, the lawyer who fought and won the case (with the help of SNRE students!), will be speaking at SNRE this coming Thursday September 26th from 10-11:30 in Dana 2024. In his talk, entitled "The Endangered Species Act at 40: From SNRE's role in the 'Snail Darter' case to today's implications," he will share his reflections and insights from the Snail Darter case and will touch on the case's role in understanding current environmental conflicts.