Steve Weissman created and directed the Energy Law program at Berkeley Law, where he also taught numerous energy law and policy courses. He came to UC Berkeley from the California Public Utilities Commission where he was an administrative law judge. He also served as policy and legal advisor to three different commissioners at the PUC. He is an energy and environmental attorney, and an environmental mediator. Prior to his appointment as an administrative law judge, he was a staff attorney at the PUC, working on renewable energy and energy efficiency proceedings, as well as cases involving implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act. He has taught energy law and policy classes at Berkeley Public Policy and Berkeley Law since 2006.
He is a former Principal Consultant to the California State Assembly's Committee on Natural Resources, where he wrote and reviewed legislation concerning energy, air quality, and solid waste management. He is a member of the mediation panel for the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, and creator of the California PUC's alternative dispute resolution program. In addition, he served as Legal Director for the Local Government Commission, an environmental and social policy think tank providing assistance to local governments. At the Local Government Commission, he wrote policy guidebooks concerning toxic air pollutants, recycling, and land use. He drafted the Ahwahnee Principles, a description of important elements of transit-oriented and pedestrian-oriented development, prepared in collaboration with some of today's most influential architects and planners.
In the City of Berkeley, Steve Weissman has chaired the Parks and Recreation Commission, and the Solid Waste Commission. In addition, he was a member of the Downtown Area Plan Advisory Committee, which worked with the university to create a new development plan for downtown Berkeley. He is Vice Chair of the American Bar Association's Publication Committee for the Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources. He also teaches energy courses at Vermont Law School and at Lewis and Clark. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship which enabled him to teach during the Fall of 2013 at Universitat Rovira i Virgili near Barcelona. He was recently appointed to the roster of Fulbright Specialists.
Contact and Office Hours
(510) 717-2422
Office Online
Office Hours
Tuesday 1:00 - 2:40 PM by appointment
About
Areas of Expertise
- Energy, Renewable and Clean Energy
- Law
- Environment
- Climate Change
- Government
- Regulation
Other Affiliations
- Senior Policy Advisor, Center for Sustainable Energy
Research
Research Affiliations
- Center for Sustainable Energy: Senior Policy Advisor
In the News
Articles and Op-Eds
Why Doesn't PG&E Bury the Power Lines to Prevent Wildfires?
KQED's Bay Curious, December 17, 2020
California must prepare its electric grid for complex climate risks
San Francisco Chronicle, August 27, 2020
California needs clean, healthy and safe local energy systems – microgrids
Cal Matters, June 5, 2020
Grids and Greed: An Expert Breaks Down Where PG&E Went Wrong and What It --and California -- Needs to Do Now
Mother Jones, October 16, 2019
Opinion: Turning Off the Lights in California
New York Times, October 14, 2019
Hold property owners accountable for their contributions to wildfires
San Francisco Chronicle, September 17, 2018
Media Citations
Wildfire safety triggers are sparking controversy instead of deadly blazes
San Jose Mercury News, October 13, 2021
Inside PG&E, executives race to get ahead of unending wildfire risk and put power lines underground
San Francisco Chronicle, October 10, 2021
The Legacy of Enron in California's Power Challenges Today
Marketplace on National Public Radio, August 4, 2021
What Lessons Can California Learn From the Energy Crisis 20 Years Ago?
KQED Forum, July 17, 2021
How extreme heat is straining California’s electrical grid
Washington Post, June 18, 2021
Webcasts
The Crisis in California’s Deregulated Electricity Markets
Steven Weissma
Event: FSR Summer School on EU Energy Law & Policy: Public Intervention in European Energy Sector 2016
Date: July 19, 2016 Duration: 2 minutes
Last updated on 05/01/2024