NEPA Case Law Update
July 15, 2020
Speakers
P.E. Hudson, Esq., Dep't of the Navy, Office of General Counsel
Michael Smith, Principal, Ecology & Environment (Member of WSP)
Moderator
Fred R. Wagner, Venable LLP
This webinar reviewed substantive National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) cases issued by United States Courts of Appeals in 2019. The implications of the decisions and relevance to NEPA practitioners will be explained. This webinar summarized the more detailed paper prepared for this webinar.
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 ten-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 for 2019, with an emphasis on substantive NEPA practice, and by 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 the agency. Past trends include challenges to the 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.
Please continue to stay informed on this important topic with the recording and presentation materials from the webinar.
Need a full screen? Watch on Vimeo. |
Multiple Approaches to Improving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Within Environmental Professions
September 2, 2020
Speakers
Nuriyah A. Boné-Owens, Cultural Entrepreneur, Cultural Ventures LLC
Sharon Minchak, V.P., Talent & Technology Operations Director, Jacobs Environmental Solutions
Nan Renner, Senior Director of Learning, Design and Innovation, Birch Aquarium at Scripps, UC San Diego
Moderator
Ron Deverman, CEP, Vice President/National Environmental Planning Leader, STV Inc.
As Environmental Professionals you may be wondering what you do to be better informed, more aware, and better support our employees, communities, and take action to make effective and lasting change in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Our panel consists of three experts in a broad range of environments who will each speak from different perspectives about solutions to the same underlying issues.
Nan Renner, Senior Director of Learning, Design, and Innovation, Birch Aquarium at Scripps, UC San Diego, will speak about her work with UC San Diego’s Birch Aquarium at Scripps and CREATE STEM Success Initiative. Nuriyah Boné-Owens, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, will speak about setting the foundation for programmatic Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, and Sharon Minchak, Talent and Technology Operations Director, Jacobs Environmental Solutions, will showcase some of their initiatives that have been successful and talk about what that means.
Attendees will learn and get ideas from the examples shown and insights shared that they can bring back to their workplaces, associations, local chapters, and personal lives to help combat racism and bridge the inequities that exist in the environmental profession.
Please continue to stay informed on this important topic with the recording and presentation materials from the webinar.
Need a full screen? Watch on Vimeo. |
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions Thresholds: A Cautionary Tale from California
October 8, 2020
Speakers
Michael Hendrix, Chairperson, AEP Climate Change Committee
Jennifer Reed, Air Quality Services Manager, Dudek
Rich Walter, Vice President, Environmental Planning, ICF
Moderator
Laura Thorne, BS, PMP Performance Improvement Specialist
Environmental review of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in California has evolved since 2010, when GHG emissions analysis was first incorporated into the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Court cases and improved threshold methodologies have shaped the current landscape, yet the absence of consistent guidance from agencies and the threat of legal challenges test Lead Agencies’ ability to meet increasingly aggressive statewide goals and local/regional climate action plans. The California Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) Climate Change Committee has developed proposed solutions in a forthcoming white paper. This panel will discuss the evolution of GHG emissions analysis in CEQA and provide solutions.
Need a full screen? Watch on Vimeo. |
Past NAEP Webinars
As COVID-19 continues to escalate, our members remain top of mind during this time, and with so many events being canceled and rescheduled, we wanted to offer everyone the opportunity to continue their education and access valuable resources.
Below is a running list of past webinars of which we would like to share to our members free of charge. Please click the links below to view a webinar recording and the supplemental materials.
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