Obama Environmental Policies and Economic Impact on Clean Energy Initiatives Top Issues for ABA Meeting in Baltimore
CHICAGO, Sept.1, 2009 – The 111th Congress is grappling with some of the most significant environmental concerns in decades. Curbing global warming, developing smart grid technology, encouraging clean energy sources and stimulating the economy through the support of green jobs are among the topics that will be addressed at the American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources 17th Section Fall Meeting, Sept. 24-26 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.
On Sept. 23, ABA President Carolyn B. Lamm will present her goals and priorities as president. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson has been invited to discuss the Obama administration’s environmental goals and summarize the developments that have occurred since January.
In addition, the 2009 fall meeting will feature insights from leading policymakers, academics and legal professionals, with emphasis on the Clean Water Act and the Chesapeake Bay, natural resources damage, toxic regulations, air quality issues, energy markets and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission hot topics, brownfields and endangered species.
On Sept. 25 and 26, the section will present “The Basic Practice Series,” a two-day session that will offer both new and seasoned litigator’s insights into environmental litigation, including initial case intake and evaluation, civil procedure before trial and discovery, motion practice, trial, settlement and alternative dispute resolution.
Other program highlights include:
Thursday, Sept. 24
- Plenary Session – Climate Change: The New Administration
- Bringing the Clean Water Act to a Neighborhood Near You: Strategies for Addressing Impaired Waters of the Chesapeake Bay
- Let the Wind Blow: Resolving the Regulatory, Cost Allocation, and Siting Challenges Associated with Wind Resources
- Yesterday’s Trash, Tomorrow’s Treasure? The Evolution of Property Rights in Wastewater, Stormwater, and Locally Captured Rainwater (Eastern perspective)
- Futuristica’s Growing Pains – Mock Public Hearing (Smart Growth)
- DSM, Energy Efficiency, and Smart Grid – Smart Components of a Carbon Constrained Energy Environment
Friday, Sept. 25
- Plenary Session – Financial Meltdown and Recovery: Challenges and Opportunities in the New Economy
- Plenary Session: The Outlook – From Leading Environmental Organizations
- Climate Change and Other Clean Air Act Hot Issues
- Soup to Nuts: A Case Study in Getting a Brownfields Project Done Baltimore Style
- A View from Capitol Hill: Environmental, Energy, and Resource Developments in the 111th Congress
- The Law World is Becoming Flat (ethics session)
Saturday, Sept. 26
- The Titans Return to the Courtroom—Mock Trial: Part I – Pre Trial Strategies and Techniques
- The Titans Return to the Courtroom—Mock Trial: Part II – Getting Ready for and Conducting the Trial
More information on the 17h Section Fall Meeting, including a full conference schedule, is available on the section’s Web site at http://www.abanet.org/environ/fallmeet/2009/home.shtml.
The ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources is the premier forum for strategies and information for environmental, energy and resource lawyers. Representing more than 11,000 members with a wide range of professional interests, the section keeps its members abreast of development trends, current court decisions, legislative initiatives and statutes concerning environmental, natural resources and energy law.
With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.
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Editor’s note: Reporters are invited to cover any or all sessions of the conference for free. Credentials may be obtained by contacting Lynne Van Buskirk in the ABA Division for Media Relations and Communication Services at 312/988-6136 or vanbuskl@staff.abanet.org. Credentials will also be available at the section’s main registration desk at the Marriott beginning at 8 a.m. Sept. 23.
