Commentary

Legal Intern

Christine Schulman is a rising 3L at the University of Virginia School of Law. Growing up, she loved the outdoors and wildlife, leading to her interest in environmental advocacy. At UVA Law, she is a Law and Public Service Fellow, is a Lead Development Editor of the Journal of Law and Politics, participated in the Environmental Law and Community Engagement Clinic, and worked as a research assistant for the State and Local Government Policy Clinic. She holds a B.A. in History and Environmental Science from the University of Notre Dame. Prior to law school, she worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA in refugee and immigration services. Outside of school, she loves hiking, painting, and visiting museums.

The Administration’s New Grant Rule Isn’t About Science. It’s About Power.

by Christine Schulman | July 24, 2026
The OMB's proposed overhaul of how the federal government awards grants would dramatically expand political control over how taxpayer dollars are distributed ...

Public lands need public voices; comment now on new BLM rules

by Lilley Gallagher | July 9, 2026
Public lands belong to all of us — we should all have a say in how they’re managed. Yet, a proposed rule from the Bureau of Land Management threatens to strip the public out of public land decisions, prioritizing business considerations over the health of western rangelands ...

Ruination of Public Lands: All Uses, Everywhere, All the Time, Without Limit

by Jeff Ruch | July 8, 2026
Donald Trump will certainly not go down in history as the Conservation President. At the current rate, his legacy will be as our first Despoiler-in-Chief ...

Is Our Legal System Ready to Grant Rights to Nature?

by Guest Contributor | July 6, 2026
With the natural environment under assault by the current administration, perhaps the time is ripe to consider granting legal rights to nature ...

The Scandal Around America’s Birthday – My Senate Testimony

by Tim Whitehouse | July 2, 2026
What should be a nonpartisan celebration has become a growing scandal involving secrecy, political favoritism, and the diversion of significant taxpayer funds and resources to a private entity ...

Government Chaos Demands a Congressional Oversight Agenda

by Tim Whitehouse | June 12, 2026
With national elections just around the corner, PEER is stepping up its efforts to engage in congressional oversight activities ...