51852aca_y_and_Natural_Resources_Center__Course_Description
[0] Spring 2016 [Course] 5364 Texas Coastal & Ocean Law [Credit] 3 [Course Area] Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Law [Course Description] 
This course explores laws and policies that affect decisions on United States ocean and coastal resources, with particular emphasis on Texas. The coastal zone is at the same time a very sensitive area, a very useful area, and an economically important area. We will examine statutes, regulations, attitudes, and cases that shape how the federal government and the State use, manage, and protect the coasts and oceans. We cover government and private approaches to coastal and ocean resources, including beaches, wetlands, estuaries, reefs, fisheries, endangered species, and special areas. Specific statutes of importance are the federal Coastal Zone Management Act, and the Texas Coastal Coordination Act, Coastal Management Plan, and Open Beaches Act. Many other environmental laws and issues come into play in the coastal zone, including NEPA, CWA, ESA, APA, flooding, the role of permitting, energy production, water rights, sea level rise, zoning, and these all operate on local, state and federal levels, both private and governmental. The course will emphasize the practical application of these laws and policies and we will be discussing actual cases and examples from around Texas.
University of Houston Law Center - Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Center
Course Description