Adaptation Implications for Hampton Roads

What a Legal Clinic Can Do to Help

Mary-Carson Saunders Stiff

Overview: What is a law clinic?

• Traditional Clinics• Theory + practice• Experiential

learning• Professional

development• Advisory and

educational service• Community

engagement • Policy Clinics

• Research • Legal analysis• Recommendatio

ns• Writing skills• Presentation

skills• Reports

accessible to all• Teamwork

VCPC’s Mission• VCPC provides science-based legal and policy

analysis of environmental and land use issues affecting the state's coastal resources and educates the Virginia policymaking, non-profit, legal and business communities about these subjects.

• From examining issues ranging from property rights to federalism, the clinic's activities are inherently interdisciplinary, drawing on scientific, economic, and policy expertise from across the university, including from Virginia Sea Grant and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

VCPC’s Work Product

Adaptive Planning for Flooding & Coastal Change in Virginia: Legal

and Policy Issues for Local Government

• Speakers included Secretary of Natural Resources for the Commonwealth of Virginia, Doug Domenech, Norfolk Mayor Paul D. Fraim, Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms, Hampton Mayor Molly Ward, Virginia Delegate Christopher O. Stolle, and Virginia Senator John Watkins

VCPC Student Post-Conference Report

VCPC Takes on Adaptation

• Reports from the Spring semester address legal implications of hard infrastructure & other adaptation measures localities may employ

• Adaptation comes in all shapes & sizes

• Project with DCR for next semester: Working with localities to update Floodplain Ordinances into compliance under the National Flood Insurance Program

• Ordinance reform helps localities adapt to:o Rising Costs of Flood Insurance &o Rising Waters

Questions?