Fred Wagner, Partner at Venable LLP P.E. "Pam" Hudson, Esq., Attorney, Federal Aviation Administration Michael D. Smith, PhD, Senior Vice-President, WSP Melanie Hernandez, Esq., CEP, Environmental Attorney, Scout
About
This webinar will mirror the Case Law presentation provided during the recent NAEP 2024 Conference & Training Symposium, with updates as warranted. The panel is focused on a paper that reviews substantive National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) cases issued by the United States Courts of Appeals. The implications of the decisions and their relevance to NEPA practitioners will be explained. This webinar will summarize the more detailed paper prepared for the 2024 conference session. The paper briefly explains, with an emphasis on the substantive NEPA findings, each opinion issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals. The paper identifies statistics regarding the NEPA appellate opinions, such as a twelve-year record of NEPA cases, organized by circuit, and by year. The paper also identifies the agencies involved in each case and presents statistics relevant to the agencies; the paper further identifies the prevailing ratio of federal agencies, including by agency and by document type (categorical exclusion, environmental assessment, environmental impact statement). The paper analyzes the trends in the court opinions involving NEPA, with an emphasis on substantive NEPA practice, and by the grouping of the cases.
Finally, each court opinion is paraphrased and organized in a manner easy to read for practitioners to find the court's ruling. Appellate opinions are grouped and analyzed by agency. Past trends include challenges to purpose and need, alternatives considered, public comment, scientific impact assessment methodologies, GHG emissions and climate change impact assessment, incomplete or unavailable information, determination of significance, segmentation, duty to supplement, connected actions, federal actions, cumulative impact assessment, mitigation, monitoring, and adaptive management. Suggestions for improving the implementation of the NEPA process and to meeting current challenges are offered, looking ahead to the future with a renewed emphasis on one of the world's oldest and most forward-looking environmental laws.
NEPA Phase II Regulatory Changes- Expert Panel Discussion
October 1, 2024 | 11:00 AM (PT) / 2:00 PM (ET)
Speakers
Fred Wagner, Partner at Venable LLP Ted Boling, Partner at Perkins Coie Ron Lamb, Retired Senior NEPA Project Manager for the U.S. Marine Corps.
About
On September 3rd NAEP hosted a webinar with the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) on the recent changes to the NEPA implementing regulations. Now, join NAEP as we welcome a panel of industry experts and leaders on their reaction to these changes and what it means to agencies, project proponents, and consultants.
This presentation does not have an accompanying slide deck.
NEPA Phase 2 Implementation: The Bipartisan Permitting Reform Implementation Final Rule
September 3, 2024 | 11:00 AM (PT) / 2:00 PM (ET)
White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Speakers
Megan Healy, Principal Deputy Director for NEPA Amy Coyle, Principal Deputy General Counsel Jomar Maldonado, Director for NEPA
About
NAEP is pleased to welcome speakers from the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) who will present the recently released final rule for revisions to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The discussion will include an overview of the proposed rule and a Question-and-Answer session. Further details on the final rule can be found here: NEPA | National Environmental Policy Act - CEQ NEPA Implementing Procedures (doe.gov).
Climate Justice on an International Stage: Prelude to COP28 and Implications for Industry
December 15, 2023 8:30 AM (PT) | 11:30 AM (ET)
Speakers
Chris Whitehead QEP, CESM;Air Practice Leader, Enviro-Sciences Sunny Fleming, Environment & Conservation Industry Lead, Esri Maya Carrasquillo, Ph.D., University of California - Berkley
About
As climate-induced impacts continue to pile up it is unfortunately those in overburdened communities who often bear a greater percentage of these impacts. Many of you may have not heard the term climate justice before and may still just be wrapping your heads around environmental justice, but the two are intertwined and crucial concepts for planning industrial operations and building trust within your communities. Join Chris Whitehead (ESI), Sunny Fleming (ESRI), and Maya Carrasquillo (University of California - Berkley) for this informative event as we discuss what is climate justice, what actions are being taken on the topic, walk through a few case studies to show the importance of mapping these impacts, and plot a path forward to minimize risk of impact.
Offshore Wind 101: Exciting Career Opportunities for Environmental Professionals
October 16, 2023 12:00 PM (PT) | 3:00 PM (ET)
Speakers
Kim Fitzgibbons, Principal Consultant for Regulatory and Permitting at Kleinschmidt Associates Shannon Stewart, Vice President of Environmental Compliance & Strategy at Invenergy J.T. Hesse, Offshore Wind Planning and Permitting Technical Director at Jacobs Engineering
About
Join us for an introduction to the offshore wind industry and learn about potential career opportunities for the whole gamut of environmental professionals - all disciplines, all levels! This is an exciting new industry being built in real time to help combat climate change by expanding our renewable energy portfolio in the US and globally. This webinar will cover how offshore wind works, where it is being developed, and the regulatory process for approval in the US (including NEPA, Endangered Species Act consultation, other federal/state/local permitting). We will discuss how most of what we do as environmental professionals is useful and transferable to the offshore wind industry and ancillary markets, such as ports, vessels, and transmission infrastructure. You will hear about the paths of several environmental professionals now engaged in offshore wind whose careers span both the public sector and private sector, and as consultants and on the client side. We will also talk about how the industry is building capacity and growing the supply chain pipeline by partnering with academia and developing offshore wind training and certifications. Come join us to learn more about this exciting, emerging industry that is based on collaboration and innovation, and where you could be part of the success!
