Waking Up the Dream State: Nine Environmental Cases that Shaped Louisiana

Waking Up the Dream State describes Louisiana’s long march toward environmental protection through nine lawsuits that have brought the state into the new era. All these cases, which range from the Vieux Carré Expressway to the “world’s largest incinerator” to the collapse of the Louisiana Coastal Zone, rise from small communities who have been burdened by toxic waste, displacement by major highways, contaminated water, and the loss of fishery resources.

Photos and in-depth descriptions bring to life the stories of the people involved; ordinary people against the odds—and institutions as mighty as the Corps of Engineers, the state Department of Highways, and the powerful petrochemical industry.

Waking Up the Dream State details the outcomes of these cases: the triumphant victories as well as the devastating losses. Win or lose, Louisiana will be forever indebted to its citizens who had the courage to bring these cases against industrial giants and powerful agencies. 

 

About the Author

Oliver Houck is professor emeritus of environmental law at Tulane University. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Georgetown Law School, with three years of military service in between. He has published widely in academia and is the author of several books, among them Taking Back Eden (2010), Down on the Batture (2010), Downstream Toward Home (2014), and The Most Dangerous Branch (2024). Professor Houck resides in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

 

Praise for Waking Up the Dream State

“This captivating work chronicles the environmental struggles in Louisiana through legal actions over the last fifty years. Had I not witnessed them myself, many of these stories would be hard to believe. Waking Up the Dream State is a highly readable and important record for anyone interested in these fundamental conflicts and, in every case, the people who have fought to resolve them.”—Marylee M. Orr, Executive Director of Louisiana Environmental Action Network

“Waking Up the Dream State is an illuminating book that only Oliver Houck could write because he was a player in and a witness to these stories. His book shows how a handful of citizens, scientists, and largely unpaid attorneys were able to help steer Louisiana towards environmental change. None of these cases were easy, and they should inspire us all.”—Dr. Paul Templet, professor emeritus, LSU, and former administrator of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality

“With characteristic wit and compelling metaphors, Professor Houck offers an engaging account of Louisiana’s fifty-year history of environmental struggle. Focusing on the ordinary people who, often accidentally, reshaped legal history, Houck has a sharp eye for detail as he evokes the colorful players in this tangled drama. A fascinating legal saga threads these stories together, with important implications for how change happens. An effective and much-respected teacher, Houck admirably transforms this rather dismal tale into a very lively and memorable read.”—Dr. Barbara C. Ewell, former Dorothy H. Brown Distinguished Professor of English, Loyola University New Orleans

 

© 2024 Oliver Houck

Paperback | 6" x 9" | ISBN: 978-1-959569-13-8 | 278 pages