Maureen Gorsen presented "Hot Topics in Environmental Law" on April 10, 9:30am - 11:00am, during this conference hosted by the American Bar Association. The scope of environmental law is ever and rapidly expanding. In some jurisdictions, environmental regulators are downloading Brownfields site remediation sign-offs to environmental consultants and with much controversy. Governments are legislating green energy – CleanTech – by conservation, new renewable sources and clean distributed energy with streamlined approvals, reduced setbacks and priority rights to connect to the electricity grid. Facilitating new CleanTech is funding from the private sector, venture capitalists and governments. Industry is racing to “green” its products and some face the risk to reputation of “greenwashing” – spinning products as environmentally friendly without substantiated benefits. Governments are requiring in law toxic reduction strategies from industrial and commercial users of toxic substances including materials accounting, toxic reduction plans, reporting and public disclosure. Maureen's panel examinee each of these emerging hot environmental law issues, and then the panel responded to questions.
April 8-10, 2010
Arizona Biltmore Hotel / Phoenix, AZ