Fred Wagner, Principal Environmental Advisor, Jacobs
Ted Boling, Partner, Perkins Coie
Tuoya Saren, Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) Candidate, Emory University School of Law
About
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how environmental review and permitting are conducted. From drafting support to analysis and project record management, AI-assisted tools are increasingly embedded in environmental review workflows, raising important questions about accuracy, accountability, and legal defensibility. This webinar focuses first on the foundational changes in NEPA to date, including new proposals, and sets the stage for the inclusion of AI as a tool for expediency, with an update on CEQ’s attention on technology to improve efficiency. Topics include legal Ethics in a rapidly changing world, including artificial intelligence and legal ethics, and ethical considerations for environmental professionals, and the ethical duty to incorporate values both in legal representation and environmental practice. The current Supreme Court landscape for NEPA review is discussed, which has direct implications for AI-assisted environmental reviews, the emerging legal tension when AI enters the NEPA process, and a practical legal framework for risk management. Finally, ethical and legal implications of artificial intelligence are explored with practitioner best practices for responsible use of AI, from design and development, deployment, and use.
Bringing together practitioner and policy perspectives, the discussion examines where AI is currently used across environmental review processes, where existing safeguards may be insufficient, and what forms of review, documentation, and transparency can help ensure AI-supported analyses remain reliable and defensible.
Charting Your Path: Career Journeys and Lessons Learned from Environmental Professionals
February 10, 2026
Speakers
Jomar Maldonado, Director for NEPA, White House Council on Environmental Quality
Sophie R. Godfrey-McKee, EOP/CEQ, Deputy Director for Permitting and Innovation, White House Council on Environmental Quality
Nicolas Frederick, Department Lead - Environmental Planning & Permitting (EPP) – East Central, Jacobs
About
Emerging environmental professionals often ask the same big questions: How do I navigate my career path? What paths are possible? How do I grow into the professional I want to become? In this special session hosted by the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) Emerging Professionals Working Group, attendees will hear candid career stories from a panel of three environmental practitioners representing diverse backgrounds, sectors, and trajectories.
Through an engaging, conversational panel format, speakers will reflect on the experiences that shaped their careers—from pivotal projects and unexpected opportunities to challenges faced and lessons learned along the way. Panelists will discuss strategies for building skills, finding mentors, identifying your professional niche, and adapting to a constantly evolving environmental field. Attendees will gain practical guidance and inspiration to support their own career development, along with insights into the many pathways available within environmental planning, policy, consulting, and beyond.
This session is designed for students, early- to mid-career practitioners, and anyone exploring growth opportunities in the environmental profession. Join us for an open, encouraging conversation that highlights real stories, honest reflections, and actionable advice to chart your path forward.
Emerging environmental professionals often ask the same big questions: How do I navigate my career path? What paths are possible? How do I grow into the professional I want to become? In this special session hosted by the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) Emerging Professionals Working Group, attendees will hear candid career stories from a panel of three environmental practitioners representing diverse backgrounds, sectors, and trajectories.
Through an engaging, conversational panel format, speakers will reflect on the experiences that shaped their careers—from pivotal projects and unexpected opportunities to challenges faced and lessons learned along the way. Panelists will discuss strategies for building skills, finding mentors, identifying your professional niche, and adapting to a constantly evolving environmental field. Attendees will gain practical guidance and inspiration to support their own career development, along with insights into the many pathways available within environmental planning, policy, consulting, and beyond.
This session is designed for students, early- to mid-career practitioners, and anyone exploring growth opportunities in the environmental profession. Join us for an open, encouraging conversation that highlights real stories, honest reflections, and actionable advice to chart your path forward.
Moderator - Fred Wagner, NAEP Elected At-Large Board Member Principal Environmental Advisor Jacobs
Speakers - P.E. "Pam" Hudson, Esq., Attorney. Federal Aviation Administration Charles P. Nicholson, PhD, Senior Environmental Planner/Scientist, HDR Melanie Hernandez, Esq., CEP, Environmental Attorney, Scout
About
This webinar will mirror the 2024 Case Law presentation provided during the recent NAEP 2025 Conference & Training Symposium, with updates as warranted. The panel will give an overview of NEPA cases decided by the U.S. Courts of Appeals during 2024, including trends in where the cases are heard, the agencies involved, and the issues being challenged. The panel will then discuss several of the more notable cases in detail, their substantive findings, and potential lessons learned. While the focus will be on cases decided in 2024, the panel will provide some perspective on those opinions in light of developments during 2025, including the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado, 605 U.S. ---, 145 S.Ct. 1497 (2025), the notable Supreme Court case, and the recission of CEQ NEPA regulations.
Regulatory Request System (RRS) for Streamlined Permitting
Friday, August 8
Moderator - Ward Marotti, Director: Land and Water Resources, Spangler Environmental, Inc.
Speaker - David "Dave" Shaeffer, Geospatial Applications Developer, Cartographer, Geomorphologist, Wetland Biologist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
About
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) invites the public and environmental professionals to use the Regulatory Request System (RRS)—a modern, web-based platform launched in January 2024 to simplify and expedite the permitting process. RRS offers a more transparent, consistent, efficient, and user-friendly experience for submitting permit requests and interacting with Regulatory offices.
In the summer of 2025, the South Atlantic Regulatory Division will fully transition to using the RRS as the exclusive method for electronically submitting requests. This shift aims to increase the volume of submissions through the RRS and to facilitate the swift implementation of a Presidential Executive Order that mandates the move to an electronic-based application process. For more details, see the Executive Order.
Key Benefits of RRS Include:
Eliminates paper forms – Submit applications, pre-construction notifications, and jurisdictional determination requests entirely online.
Built-in data validation – Ensures all required fields are completed, helping reduce delays from incomplete submissions.
Real-time communication tools – Receive automatic email updates and track your request through an interactive dashboard.
Draft and share capability – Begin a request, save it as a draft, and easily share it with team members or clients before final submission.
Centralized access to resources – Find guidance documents and educational information on the Regulatory Program in one place.
Reduced internal data entry – Allows project managers to focus on permit evaluation rather than administrative and data entry tasks.
Live Help Desk support – Access timely assistance from knowledgeable staff for troubleshooting and system navigation.
The recording of this informational webinar, which demonstrates how to use the system and addresses questions, is available below.
