Events at the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment
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— Upcoming Events —
September 21, 2017
Doubling Energy Efficiency in California’s Existing Buildings: How will we finance it?
When: Thursday, September 21, 2017 from 5-7pm
Where: Warren Room (295 Boalt), UC Berkeley School of Law
Join UC Berkeley and UCLA Law for an evening event on energy efficiency retrofit finance at UC Berkeley Law on Thursday, September 21st.
As SB 350 (De Leon, 2015) requires California to double the energy efficiency of existing buildings by 2030, private sector investment will be critical to financing these energy retrofits. What metering technologies and new policies will be needed to unlock large-scale financing? Following up on our 2016 report, Powering the Savings, speakers will focus on recent innovations, new policies, and promising success stories on metered energy efficiency that the state can build on to achieve these ambitious and necessary climate and energy goals.
Featuring a keynote address from:
- Commissioner Andrew McAllister, California Energy Commission
And panel presentations from:
- Jon Wellinghoff, former chair of the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
- Carmen Best, Independent Energy Efficiency Advisor
- Cisco DeVries, Founder and CEO, Renew Financial Group LLC
Please RSVP here as space is limited or register here for the live webcast.
— Past Events —
September 12, 2017
Webinar: Net Economic Impacts of California’s Major Climate Programs in the Inland Empire
When: Tuesday, September 12, 2017, 10:00-11:00am
Following the state legislature’s landmark approval extending California’s cap-and-trade program through 2030 by a supermajority vote, CLEE and its research partners have completed the first comprehensive, academic study of the economic effects of existing climate and clean energy policies in Southern California’s Inland Empire. Together with UC Berkeley’s Center for Labor Research and Education, and working with the nonpartisan nonprofit Next 10, the study estimated a net benefit of $9.1 billion in direct economic activity and 41,000 net direct jobs from 2010 to 2016 in the region, some of which are permanent and ongoing and many of which resulted from one-time construction investments.
Review our discussion on the impact of cap and trade, the renewables portfolio standard, distributed solar policies and energy efficiency programs and their effects on the Inland Empire’s economy.
The webinar featured:
- Betony Jones, UC Berkeley Labor Center
- Ethan Elkind, Center for Law, Energy & the Environment
- F. Noel Perry, Next 10
August 31, 2017
Environmental & Energy (E&E) Activities Fair
When: Thursday, August 31 2017, 12:45-2:00pm
Where: Room 130, Boalt Hall
Each year CLEE and the E&E student organizations collectively host an environmental and energy focused activities fair to introduce 1Ls to the variety of organizations and other E&E activities they can get involved in. Come join us!
Lunch will be provided to participating students.
June 6, 2017
Planning for Utility-Scale Solar PV in the San Joaquin Valley: What Does the Future Hold?
When: Tuesday, June 6, 2017, 5:30-7:30pm
Where: Farella Braun + Martel, San Francisco
California will continue to see a significant deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) to meet its goal of generating 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. A significant amount will likely occur in the San Joaquin Valley, with attendant controversies related to the loss of agricultural and biologically sensitive lands, among other conflicts. How can stakeholders and policy makers ensure that future solar PV deployment occurs only in “least-conflict” (land on which solar development is least likely to engender objections and possibly litigation) lands in the San Joaquin Valley region and beyond? Panelists discussed some of the findings from last year’s influential CLEE report, A Path Forward: Identifying Least-Conflict Solar PV Development in California’s San Joaquin Valley.
Panelists included:
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- Erica Brand, Director of the California Energy Program, The Nature Conservancy
- Ethan Elkind, Director of the Climate Program, Center for Law, Energy & the Environment
- Renee Robin, Senior Counsel, Allen Matkins
- Diane Ross-Leach, Director of Environmental Policy, PG&E
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May 17, 2017
Right Type, Right Place Webinar
Our report, Right Type, Right Place, finds that encouraging new housing development in infill areas would spur economic growth, reduce monthly household costs, and cut greenhouse gas emissions, keeping the state on track to achieving its climate goals.-
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- Ethan Elkind, Center for Law, Energy & the Environment
- Colleen Kredell, Next 10
- Nathaniel Decker, Terner Center for Housing Innovation
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May 11, 2017
Environmental & Energy Law Certificates Ceremony
When: Thursday, May 11, 10am-12:30pm
Where: Warren Room (295 Boalt Hall)
Students, faculty, staff and the broader Environmental and Energy law community joined us to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates and award Certificates of Specialization in Environmental and Energy & Clean Technology Law. We thank everyone who joined us for this very special annual event.
You can see photos from this event here.
April 13, 2017
ELQ Annual Banquet
When: Thursday, April 13, 6:30pm-9:30pm
Where: Chevron Auditorium, I-House, Berkeley, CA
The Annual Banquet is a c
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April 6, 2017
Panel on Diversity in Environmental Law
When: Thursday, April 6, 6pm-8pm
Where: Warren Room
Four attorneys of color, working in the environmental field, discussed their personal journeys into environmental law, explore the importance of diversity in the environmental law field, and examine current steps being taken by various organizations to address this problem. The panel will also discussed the intersection of environmental law and social justice as well as the various career paths available to graduates.
The panel included:
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Letitia Moore, Environmental Protection Agency
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Lala Wu, Morrison Foerster
- Aruna Prabhala, Center for Biological Diversity
- Adenike Adeyeye, Earthjustice
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Light appetizers and drinks were served.
April 4, 2017
Fall 2017 E&E Curriculum Rollout
When: Tuesday, April 4, 12:45pm-2pm
Where: 130 Boalt Hall
The environmental and energy law faculty and staff discussed the courses and research planned for Fall 2017; clinical, field placement and research opportunities; and the environmental and energy law certificate programs.
Lunch was provided to attending students.
March 22, 2017
Webinar: Economic Impacts of California’s Climate Programs on the San Joaquin Valley
When: Wednesday, March 22, 1pm-2pm
Amid concerns about the economic and employment impacts of California’s ambitious climate policies, the authors of the first comprehensive, academic study of the costs and benefits of these policies on the San Joaquin Valley discuss their findings.
The Economic Impacts of California’s Major Climate Programs on the San Joaquin Valley, addresses compliance and investment costs as well as the benefits across the region. Completed by UC Berkeley’s Donald Vial Center on Employment in the Green Economy and the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment at Berkeley Law, working with the nonpartisan nonprofit Next 10, this report finds that the economic benefits of California’s climate programs greatly exceed costs.
The webinar will feature:
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- Betony Jones, UC Berkeley Labor Center
- Ethan Elkind, Center for Law, Energy & the Environment
- F. Noel Perry, Next 10
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Review the recorded webinar here.
November 17, 2016
California Coastal Act: The Next 40 Years
When: Thursday, November 2016, 9:00am-6:00pm
Where: Bancroft Hotel, Berkeley, CA 
Click here for more information
November 9, 2016
New “Climate Policy Solutions” Website Launch Webinar
When: Tuesday, November 9, 2pm
Please join us for a webinar featuring Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board to celebrate the launch of the Climate Policy Solutions website. Climate Policy Solutions will be a hub for the policy recommendations emanating from the UC Berkeley Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment and the UCLA Emmett Institute climate programs.
Click here for more information
November 1, 2016
A Climate Talk with David Doniger — Next Steps for U.S. Climate Policy
When: Tuesday, Nov 1, 6:00-7:30pm
Where: Goldberg Room, Boalt Hall
David Doniger is a leading expert on national climate and energy policy and is the Director of the Climate and Air Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council. He is also one of the architects of the new approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions that is the bedrock of the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan. On Nov. 1, Mr. Doniger led a conversation about the past, present, and future of U.S. climate policy. He explored the Clean Power Plan in-depth, which underwent en banc oral arguments before the D.C. Circuit late last September, in the context of other key efforts to decrease emissions and increase resilience. On the cusp of the national elections and international government meetings about climate change, David will offered his insights into the possible future of domestic climate initiatives.
October 19, 2016
Albright Lecture with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
When: Thursday, Oct 27, 7:00-8:30pm
Where: Chevron Auditorium, International House at UC Berkeley
CLEE co-hosted the 2016 Horace M. Albright Lecture in Conservation along with the College of Natural Resources. The 2016 speaker, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., discussed the role that natural resources play in our work, health, and American identity, reminding us that we have a responsibility to protect and preserve our planet for future generations. An environmental leader and speaker, Mr. Kennedy is chief prosecuting attorney for the Hudson Riverkeepers, senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, and president-at-large of the Waterkeeper Alliance. He is the son of Robert Francis “Bobby” Kennedy, former US Senator and Attorney General.
The recorded lecture is available here.
October 19, 2016
A Lunch Talk with Ken Kimmell — Climate Change & Climate Action: Hope & Responsibility
When: Wednesday Oct 19, 2016 12:45-2:00pm
Where: Room 130, Boalt Hall
Ken Kimmell is the President of the Union of Concerned Scientists. He spoke about the current international framework for addressing climate change and the ambition gap that exists between pledges and action. Mr. Kimmell explored key elements of tackling emissions reductions goals, including eliminating transportation emissions, novel state approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and economic and technological approaches to facilitating reductions. He also addressed questions of responsibility for climate change, including recent investigations into fossil fuel companies’ knowledge of causation and impacts.
May 16, 2016
Legal Challenges to the Clean Power Plan – Perspectives from the Front Lines
When: Monday, May 16, 12:00-1:30pm
Where: Paul Hastings LLP, 55 Second Street, 24th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105
The Institute for Policy Integrity at NYU School of Law and the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment at Berkeley Law hosted an in-depth discussion of the Clean Power Plan from the front lines. The Clean Power Plan is the first rule to place limits on greenhouse gases emitted by all power plants in the United States, and is opposed by a vocal coalition of states and industry groups. In the lead up to oral arguments before the D.C. Circuit, an equally vocal coalition of states, industry groups, and nonprofits stepped forward to support the EPA and the rule.
The panel featured Sean Donahue, Donahue & Goldberg LLP; Denise Grab, NYU Institute for Policy Integrity; Elaine Meckenstock, California Department of Justice; Kevin Polancarz, Paul Hastings LLP; and Jordan Diamond, UC Berkeley Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (moderator). Representing parties and amici supporting the rule, the speakers discussed the issues before the court. Paul Hastings LLP generously provided lunch for the attendees.
Note: Oral arguments were originally scheduled for June 2, 2016, but the D.C. Circuit rescheduled them for September 27, 2016, to hear the arguments en banc.
Click here for more information
May 12, 2016
Environmental & Energy Law Certificates Ceremony
When: Thursday, May 12, 10am-12pm
Where: Goldberg Room, Berkeley Law
Environmental and energy law faculty, staff, students, and alumni gathered to celebrate the 26 graduates receiving Certificates of Specialization in Environmental Law and Energy & CleanTech Law in 2016. The event was open to friends and family of the graduates and to all past, present, and future Berkeley Law students.
Click here for more information
April 19, 2016
Fall 2016 Environmental & Energy Law Curriculum Rollout
Environmental and energy faculty and staff discussed the courses and research planned for Fall 2016; clinical, field placement, and policy research opportunities; and the environmental and energy law certificate programs.
Click here for more information
April 18, 2016
Webinar: Powering the Savings
Berkeley and UCLA Law released the report Powering the Savings: How California Can Tap The Energy Efficiency Potential in Existing Commercial Buildings on March 31, 2016. The report suggests policies that could help unlock capital market investment in energy efficiency retrofits for commercial buildings, which can reduce energy consumption and emissions and save building owners and tenants money.
On Monday, April 18th, we hosted a webinar on the report findings featuring Jeanne Clinton, Special Advisor to the Governor for Energy Efficiency, California Public Utilities Commission; Cynthia Mitchell, energy economist and TURN consultant; and Dennis Quinn, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder, Joule Assets. Inc.
This report and webinar is part of the Climate Change and Business Research Initiative, which is made possible by generous support from Bank of America
Click here for a recording of the webinar and to access the full report
March 10, 2016
Another Reason We Can’t Breath: Using Law and Policy Solutions to Address Racial & Economic Disparities in Environmental Health
This discussion is an important opportunity to support the Center for Race, Poverty, and the Environment (CRPE) and its work fighting toxics and contamination in the San Joaquin Valley, and will discuss how lawyers and advocates can better engage communities to address these biases, specifically low income communities of color who are most at risk. The event will focus on reducing racial and economic bias in environmental policy and community lawyering.
Co-sponsored by CRPE, CLEE, Earthjustice, and the Environmental Law Section – CA State Bar
Click here for more information and tickets
February 22, 2016
Career Paths in Water Law
Attorneys in private practice, government, and non-profit led a discussion of work and careers in water law. Moderated by Professor Holly Doremus.
Co-sponsored by CLEE, ELQ, and ELS
Click here for more information
Click here for a video recording of the discussion
January 22, 2016
Boosting Low-Carbon Biofuels
CLEE hosted a legislative lunch briefing on policies to boost low-carbon biofuel production in California, hosted by UCLA and UC Berkeley Schools of Law. The event featured expert speakers and included highlights from the new report Planting Fuels: How California Can Boost Local, Low-Carbon Biofuel Production. For more information, click here.
FALL 2015 SPEAKER SERIES (click here for full PDF)
October 26, 2015
Spring 2016 Environmental & Energy Law Curriculum Rollout*
Faculty, staff, and students convened for lunch on Monday, October 26, to discuss the Spring 2016 environmental and energy law and policy curriculum. Faculty and staff reviewed the Environmental Law and Energy & CleanTech Law Certificates, discussed the range of courses being offered in the Spring and how they fit into student curriculum planning, and outlined the opportunities to gain practical and experiential education.
November 3, 2015
Feeding a Growing Planet: Challenges, Impacts & Taboos
Expert speakers led a discussion of the complexities of feeding a rapidly growing global population and the environmental challenges associated with food production practices. The panelists discussed different perspectives to generate discussion of important issues and possible paths forward.
Click for full announcement.
Panelists:
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- Carter Dillard, Director of Litigation, Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF)
- Stephanie Feldstein, Population and Sustainability Director, Center for Biological Diversity (CBD)
- Claire Kremen, Professor, UC Berkeley Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management & Faculty Co-Director, Berkeley Food Institute (BFI)
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Co-hosted by CLEE, CBD, ALDF, BFI, and the Animal Law Society
November 9, 2015
State & Local Government Career Paths in Environmental Law
With a near-paralyzed and environmentally hostile Congress, contemporary environmental progress is largely state and local, with California and its subdivisions far in the lead. The panelists discussed a variety of environmental career paths in California’s program and enforcement agencies . . . and their innovative strategies for cooling the planet, preventing toxics exposures, and cleaning up legacy pollutants.
Click for full announcement.
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- Danny Chou, Assistant County Counsel, Santa Clara County Counsel
- Margarita Padilla, Supervising Deputy Attorney General, California Attorney General’s Office
- Colleen Heck, Senior Staff Counsel, Department of Toxic Substances Control (former) & Chief Counsel, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (former)
- Claudia Polsky, Director, Environmental Law Clinic, UC Berkeley (moderator)
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Co-hosted by CLEE, the Environmental Law Clinic, and APALSA
November 16, 2015
Careers in Energy Law: In-House & Private Practice
Practicing energy law attorneys discussed their experiences, career paths, and thoughts about what courses and other opportunities may help students prepare to enter the field.
Click here for full announcement.
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- Tim McMahon, Abengoa Solar LLC
- Len Conapinski, DuFour Conapinski LLP
- Julianne Spears, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
- Ethan Elkind, CLEE (moderator)
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Co-hosted by CLEE and BERC @ Boalt
November 23, 2015
Nongovernmental Careers in Environmental & Energy Law
Experienced practitioners discussed career paths in environmental and energy law. The panel delved into nongovernmental opportunities to engage in environmental and energy law and policy.
Click here for full announcement.
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- Sekita Grant, Greenlining Institute
- Miyoko Sakashita, Center for Biological Diversity
- Michael Wall, Natural Resources Defense Council
- Jordan Diamond, CLEE (moderator)
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Co-hosted by CLEE, SEEJ, and the Field Placements Program
November 30, 2015
Private Practice Environmental Law
Experienced practitioners discussed career paths in environmental law. The panelists explored private practice trajectories as experienced by attorneys from some of the region’s leading environmental law firms and practice groups.
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- Robert Doty, Partner, Cox Castle Nicholson LLP
- Fran Layton, Partner, Shute Mihaly & Weinberger LLP
- Jim Moose, Senior Partner Remy Moose Manley LLP
- Jordan Diamond, CLEE (moderator)
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Co-hosted by CLEE, ELQ, and ELS
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Environmental and Energy Law Certificate Ceremony
Berkeley Law’s Dean Sujit Choudhry and environmental and energy law faculty and staff hosted a ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments of the 2015 recipients of certificates of specialization in environmental law and energy and clean technology law.
For more information, please click here.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Environmental and Energy Law Curriculum Roll-Out
CLEE and many of Berkeley Law’s environmental and energy law faculty presented upcoming course offerings and other opportunities for students in the 2015-16 academic year.
For more information, please click here.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
The Conflict Between State and Local Fracking Regulations
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Clean Energy Data: Boosting Green Technologies and Energy Efficiency Through Improved Access
Expanded access to energy information could help boost California’s clean technology industries and reduce costs for ratepayers, while ensuring that the state can more cost-effectively meet its climate and energy goals. This energy information could include expanded customer access to long-term usage patterns, utility statistics on distribution grid needs and pricing, and anonymized, aggregated energy usage patterns on a neighborhood scale. In this event, speakers discussed challenges to expanding access to energy data and policy options to overcome them.
To learn more, click here.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Ocean and Coastal Management in Barbuda
Located in the Eastern Caribbean, Barbuda is an island of approximately 1,200 residents and is part of the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. In this talk, Dr. Kathryn Mengerink discussed the legal framework for ocean and coastal management in Barbuda, some of the unique features of its legal system, and the recent work of Dr. Mengerink and her colleagues at the Environmental Law Institute to help the Barbuda government develop a new ocean and coastal legal system.
To learn more, click here.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Renewable Planning Webinar
Ethan Elkind, Director of CLEE’s Climate Program, hosted a webinar on Renewable Planning that introduced CLEE’s new best practices guidance. The guidance highlights best policy practices for both small-scale rooftop (ancillary) and medium-scale (primary) solar projects. It includes sample General Plan policy language regarding 10 PV-supportive strategies, as well as guidance on financing mechanisms.
For more information and a recording of the webinar, please click here.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Infill Planning Webinar
Ethan Elkind, Director of CLEE’s Climate Program, hosted an Infill Planning webinar that covered CLEE’s new guidance report on infill planning. The report reviews 20 infill-supportive policies with sample policy language, as well as recommendations on financing, CEQA exemptions, and other infill implementation measures.
For a more information and a recording of the webinar, please click here.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Mono Lake at 20 Symposium
2014 marked the 20th anniversary of the State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) landmark Decision 1631 to amend the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s water rights to protect Mono Lake and its tributary creeks. The decision was the first in the state’s history to integrate the Water Code, Fish and Game Code, and the common law of public trust, to achieve such a result.
UC Berkeley’s Wheeler Institute for Water Law and Policy, joined by stakeholders in the Mono Lake Cases, convened this symposium to address several fundamental questions on this twentieth anniversary of D-1631. For more information and for video of the event, please click here.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Diversity in Environmental Law Panel
CLEE, along with the Coalition for Diversity, the Environmental Law Society, and Law Students of African Descent, hosted panelists from private, non-profit, and governmental law practice to discuss diversity in Environmental Law. The panelists provided students with an introduction to the dynamic field of environmental law and helped them explore potential career paths. Also discussed was how new attorneys from diverse backgrounds are enhancing the field.
Friday, May 9, 2014
CLEE Certificate Ceremony .jpg)
1:30pm to 3:30pm
Room 100
Berkeley Law Faculty, Staff & Students came together to honor the 2014 recipients of the Berkeley Law Certificate of Specialization in Environmental Law and Certificate of Specialization in Energy & Clean Technology Law.
Monday, April 14, 2014
CLEE Environmental and Energy Curriculum Roll-Out
12:45pm to 2:00pm
Room 244
Lunch served
Join Berkeley Law environmental and energy professors as they discuss the courses offered in Fall 2014, and explain the requirements for the two certificates we offer: Environmental Law and Energy & Clean Technology Law.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
CLEE Speaker Series: The Future of Transit-Oriented Infill Development in California
105 Boalt Hall
12:45pm to 2:00pm
Lunch served
Please join experts from academia, planning and development, and local government law as we discuss the future of rail and infill development in our city centers. Berkeley Law/CLEE’s Ethan Elkind will discuss his new book, Railtown, on the history of rail in Los Angeles and lessons to guide future rail and infill development.
Erin Chalmers of Shute Mihaly & Weinberger will discuss recent litigation and implementation efforts on SB 375, including the current California Court of Appeal case involving San Diego’s Regional Transportation Plan.
Patrick Kennedy of Panoramic Interests, headquartered in Berkeley, will ground the discussion in the practical reality of building infill projects and their attendant challenges. Since 1990, Panoramic has completed 13 mixed-use, infill projects in and around downtown Berkeley, California.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
CLEE Speaker Series
Arctic Stewards: The Role of Alaska Natives in Managing Arctic Marine Resources
240 Boalt Hall
12:45pm to 2:00pm
Dr. Mengerink will discuss the role and rights of Alaska Natives in managing marine resources with a special focus on marine subsistence resources. In particular, she will discuss the basic legal framework including the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the Endangered Species Act as it relates to Alaska Native subsistence and will highlight innovative and successful approaches taken by Alaska Native communities to achieve stewardship objectives. Co-sponsored by the Law of the Sea Institute, CLEE, ELQ, and ELS.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
10th Annual Environmental Justice Symposium
Taking Heat: National and International Environmental Justice Perspectives on Climate Change
The Students for Economic and Environmental Justice (SEEJ) along with the Berkeley Energy and Resources Collaborative (BERC) and the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE) are pleased to present the 10th Annual Environmental Justice Symposium. The lunch session will focus on domestic climate justice issues, including the fairness dimensions of California’s cap-and-trade program and the disproportionate health impacts that marginalized communities suffer. The evening panel will focus on international issues, particularly the equity dimensions of international efforts to reduce climate change, ways to fairly allocate the global mitigation effort across countries, and the toll of global warming on the most vulnerable countries and populations. Representing a diversity of perspectives, our speakers come from a range of academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, and business groups.
Please RSVP here.
Lunch panel 12:45 – 2:00 in Room 110, Boalt Hall
Evening panel 5:00 – 6:30 in Warren Room (Room 295), Boalt Hall
Networking reception and buffet 6:30 – 8:00 in Steinhart Courtyard, Boalt Hall
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN WATERWAYS: HISTORY, POLITICS, AND TECHNOLOGY OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Cosponsored by the Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies, the Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE), and the Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES)
The international conference, Israeli and Palestinian Waterways: History, Politics, and Technology of Water and Environment in the Middle East, will bring Israeli, Palestinian, and other international scholars together to discuss issues relating to water and environment in the Middle East. Panels will address historical issues in water law and border formation, the social impact of water and environment, transboundary peace and conflict questions, and the impacts of changing technology. Many of the scholars bring a comparative perspective, with deep knowledge of California and the West with regard to water law and environmental policy. Moreover, the application of innovative technologies to resolve issues of water scarcity in Israel has immediate implications for California water policy.
The keynote address will focus on a major Israeli-Palestinian collaborative environmental project to clean up wastewater in the Kidron Valley basin south of Jerusalem. This environmental project sits at the intersection of law, technology, finance, politics, government, and culture.
8:00am to 7:00pm
UC Berkeley School of Law
Please click here for the conference page.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
CLEE Speaker Series
A Day in the Life: Careers in Energy Law
6-8pm: Warren Room (295 Boalt)
BERC@Boalt’s A Day in the Life series is back, featuring private sector and public interest attorneys focusing on different aspects of energy/cleantech law and policy. Come hear panelists share what it’s like to live a day in their lives and tell how they got there. Stay for a wine reception and meet the panelists! Panelists are from large and mid-sized firms and nonprofits, and focus on a wide range of energy, resource and cleantech matters. Students only.
The Berkeley Exchange: Celebrating Berkeley’s Contribution to Environmental Law Scholarship.
On Friday, February 7th, Berkeley Law’s Ecology Law Quarterly and Center for Law, Energy, & the Environment proudly present:
The Berkeley Exchange: Celebrating Berkeley’s Contribution to Environmental Law Scholarship.
Please join us for this academic symposium that will feature Berkeley Law alumni discussing their latest research, followed by an evening reception. Panel topics include: Evaluating International Environmental Goals and Progress, Putting Environmental Justice at the Center of Environmental Law, Environmental Law in an Interdisciplinary Context, and Energy and Climate Change.
Please consider joining us for the reception even if you are unable to attend the panels. This is a great opportunity to reconnect with faculty, network with fellow alums, and meet current ELQ members.
When: Friday, February 7th
- 8:00 am – Breakfast/Registration
- 8:30 am – Welcome Remarks
- 9:15 am – Panels Begin
- 12:45 pm – Lunch Keynote Address
- 6:00 pm – Reception
Full agenda here.
Where: Warren Room, Boalt Hall
Symposium registration is free, but we ask that those who attend the reception make a donation to ELQ or CLEE at one of the following levels:
- Coast Redwood $1000
- Big Leaf Maple $250
- Ponderosa Pine $100
- Joshua Tree $50
- California Poppy $25
Please click here for more details, including a complete agenda and information about how to receive MCLE credit.
Questions? ELQSymposium@gmail.com
RSVP and donations: http://tinyurl.com/TheBerkeleyExchange
Energy and Climate Change: California’s Efforts to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through Renewables, Fuels, and Markets
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Booth Auditorium, Boalt Hall
Earn up to 6 hours MCLE credit
Register Online
SCHEDULE
REGISTRATION
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
WELCOME BY CHAIRS
9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Scott Birkey, Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP
Amy Gaylord, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
KEYNOTE SPEAKER – MARY NICHOLS
9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
AB 32 and California’s Energy Future
Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board
MEETING AB 32 GOALS THROUGH RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
This panel will explore how the renewable energy industry, guided by California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard requirements, can reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and still meet projected energy demand.
Moderator: Ethan Elkind, U.C. Berkeley School of Law
Panelists:
Nick Chaset, Special Advisor for Distributed Energy Resources, Office of Governor Edmund G Brown, Jr.
Shannon Eddy, Executive Director, Large-Scale Solar Association
Arne Olson, Partner, Energy and Environmental Economics, Inc. (E3)
LUNCH (PROVIDED)
12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
LUNCHEON ADDRESS – DAVID HOCHSCHILD
12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
California’s Regulatory Approach to Renewables and Greenhouse Gas Reduction
David Hochschild, Commissioner, California Energy Commission
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS AND THE INTEGRATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY: RELIABILITY AND ELECTRICITY MARKETS
1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
This panel will address the integration of renewable energy by focusing on current programs at the California ISO to firm intermittent renewable energy production, while meeting the critical goal of maintaining reliability. The panel will feature a lively discussion featuring the sometimes competing views of grid operators and players in the renewable energy field.
Moderator: Dana Palmer, McGuire Woods LLP
Panelists:
Karen Edson, V.P., Policy & Client Services, California ISO
Vicken Kasarjian, Dir. Grid Planning & Operations, SMUD
V. John White, Executive Director, Center for Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT)
BREAK
2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
PRACTICAL REALITIES: TRANSPORTATION, LOW CARBON FUELS AND ELECTRIFICATION TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Without fanfare, laws at the Federal and state level have been reformulating transportation fuels to become more renewable and
less carbon intensive. The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA 2007) has created the Federal Renewable Fuel Standard program (RFS2),
which will drive lower GHG emissions nationally. California’s leadership with its Low Carbon Fuel Standard is challenging the oil industry and
supporting the re-birth of the electric car. This panel will examine the technical and legal impacts of these transformational policies.
Moderator: William W. Westerfield, III, SMUD
Panelists:
Dan Bowermaster, Senior Project Manager, Electric Power Research Institute
Mark Poole, California Deputy Attorney General
Cliff Rechtschaffen, Senior Advisor, Office of Governor Edmund G Brown, Jr.
CONCLUSION AND WRAP UP
4:30 p.m.
Printable Brochure | Mail/FAX Registration Form
CLEE Environmental and Energy Curriculum Roll-Out
Monday, October 21, 2013
12:45pm to 2:00pm
Room 132
Join Berkeley Law environmental and energy professors as they discuss the courses offered in Spring 2014, and explain the requirements for the two certificates we offer: Environmental Law and Energy & Clean Technology Law.
Lunch served at 12:45pm.
The Smart Grid: The Policy Challenges of a Connected Grid
The promise of the Smart Grid is great: a more resilient and efficient electricity system that can support a high concentration of renewable generation, electric vehicles, and more. And just as the Smart Grid may transform the physical electricity infrastructure, it may likely also transform both how we think about energy and how we interact with our energy providers. In our final Smart Grid mini-series panel, legal and energy policy experts will help us understand those more personal implications of the Smart Grid, including active and passive demand management, smart meters, time-of-use pricing, as well as the consumer and privacy issues that they raise.
Warren Room 295, Boalt Hall
Registration: 5pm (PST)
Program: 5pm to 7pm (PST)
Reception: 7pm to 7:30pm (PST)
Teleconference option available upon registration
Moderator:
- Tim Sullivan, California Public Utilities Commission, Assistant Chief Law Judge
Panel:
- Karen Zelmar, Director of Pricing Products, Pacific Gas & Electric
- Marcel Hawiger, Attorney, TURN – The Utility Reform Network
- Jennifer Urban, Assistant Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic, U.C. Berkeley School of Law
Register here.
To download the report, click here.
High Speed Rail in the Valley: Managing the Economic and Environmental Impacts
To download the video, click here. .jpg)
A lunchtime presentation in Fresno, presented by the UC Berkeley and UCLA Schools of Law Climate Change and Business Research Initiative to develop policies that help businesses prosper in an era of climate change. Support generously provided by Bank of America.
Tuesday, August 20th, 12:00pm to 1:30pm (registration begins at 11:00am)
Lunch will be served, followed by the keynote address at noon
Grand on 10 1401 Fulton Street Suite 212 Fresno, CA 93721 (see this map for directions)
Keynote Address:
The Honorable Ashley Swearengin, Mayor of Fresno
Panel presentation:
Holly King, King-Gardiner Farms, LLC
Tom Richards, High Speed Rail Authority
Jeff Roberts, Granville Homes
Construction will begin soon in the San Joaquin Valley on “Phase 1” of the $68.4 billion high speed rail system. What will the impact be on the Valley’s cities, farms, and pocketbooks? How can Valley leaders ensure that the system maximizes the economic and environmental benefits for residents? This event will discuss these issues and offer policy ideas to address the challenges. UCLA and UC Berkeley Schools of Law will also release a joint report at the event on this topic, entitled “A High Speed Foundation.”
RSVP by Friday, August 16th by clicking on this link. Space is limited.
Environmental Law and Energy & Clean Technology Law Certificate Ceremony
Friday, May 10, 2013
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Room 100, Boalt Hall
Please join Berkeley Law Faculty at the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment in honoring the 2013 recipients of the Berkeley Law Certificate of Specialization in Environmental Law and Certificate of Specialization in Energy & Clean Technology Law.
Family and friends of certificate recipients are warmly invited. Refreshments will be served.
Fracking in California: Regulation of Produced Water and Potential Water Impacts
Thursday, April 18, 2013
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Latham & Watkins LLP,
355 South Grand Ave.,
Los Angeles, CA 90071
CLEE and the Wheeler Institute for Water Law & Policy present “Fracking in California”, an informative yet balanced panel on the regulation of hydraulic fracking in California, focusing on wastewater and potential water impacts. This panel will also discuss a forthcoming report on fracking and water impacts produced by Berkeley Law’s Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE) through its new Wheeler Institute for Water Law & Policy. 1.5 hours of MCLE credit will be provided.
Speakers & Panelists Include:
- Sam Unger, Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
- Damon Nagami, NRDC;
- Rock Zierman, California Independent Petroleum Association
- Paul Singarella, Latham & Watkins LLP;
- Jayni Foley Hein, Berkeley Law;
- Mike Kiparsky, Berkeley Law;
Please RSVP by April 16 to: rsvp@law.berkeley.edu or (510) 643-9277.
Unplugged: The Renewable Energy Speaker Series
The Smart Grid: What Is It and Why Should We Care? 
April 17, 2013
UC Berkeley School of Law
Goldberg Room
297 Boalt Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720
Register here
Registration: 4:30 pm (Pacific Time)
Program: 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm (Pacific Time)
Reception:6:30 pm – 7:00 pm (Pacific Time)
What does the smart grid have to do with renewable energy? According to most experts, quite a lot. While many believe that our current electrical transmission and distribution grid can support the California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard goal of 33 percent renewable generation by 2020, experts generally agree that to achieve significantly higher percentages, we must make our grid “smart”.
In this first of a three-panel smart grid mini-series, energy infrastructure experts will explore the nuts-and-bolts of the smart grid transformation: what it is, how it differs from the existing grid, what it will enable, and how we get there.
Moderator:
- Carl Zichella, Director of Western Transmission, Land & Wildlife Program, Natural Resources Defense Council
Panel:
- Kevin Dasso, Senior Director of Smart Grid and Technology Integration, PG&E
- Heather Sanders, Director Smart Grid Technologies and Strategy, CAISO
- Sonita Lontoh, Head of Marketing, Trilliant
2013 Environment & Energy Law Speaker Series
At the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment
*All panels begin at 12:45pm * Lunch will be served
This series is sponsored by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati LLP.
Panel 1: Electrochemical experts on “The Technology of Cleantech: Batteries and Fuel Cells” (Wednesday, February 20 in Room 105)
Ever wonder how fuel cells and batteries actually work? Join BERC and CLEE as we explore the science of clean technology with Gao Liu of the Electrochemical Technologies Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Heather Buckley of the Arnold Group, U.C. Berkeley Department of Chemistry
Panel 2: Reporters David Baker, Kiera Butler, and Edwin Dobb on “Environmental and Energy Journalism” (Tuesday, February 26 in Room 105)
Journalists play a vital role in educating the public about environmental issues, including environmental law and policy. A panel of experienced journalists from the SF Chronicle, Mother Jones, National Geographic and more will speak about communicating complex scientific and legal issues, working with attorneys, and the energy/environmental stories that resonate most today.
Panel 3: Patti Goldsmith of Earthjustice on Citizen Power to Obtain Justice (Wednesday, March 6 in Room 132). .jpg)
Patti Goldsmith, Vice President for Litigation at Earthjustice, will speak about citizen enforcement as an important feature of environmental compliance, the essential elements of citizen suits, and recent attacks on citizen access to courts and justice.
Panel 4: EBCLC and SELC on “Practitioner’s Perspectives on Community Economic Justice” (Thursday, March 14 in Room 110)
Sushil Jacob of East Bay Community Law Center, Janelle Orsi of the Sustainable Economies Law Center, Berkeley Law Professor Michelle Anderson, and Tim Huet of the Arizmendi Association of Cooperatives will describe their experience working on community economic justice issues. Part of the annual Environmental Justice Symposium. Co-sponsored by CLEE and SEEJ.
Panel 5: CLEE Directors and Staff on “Current Research: Hydraulic Fracking, Electric Vehicles, and More” (Tuesday, April 2 in Room 134)
CLEE carries out interdisciplinary law and policy research addressing pressing environmental issues at the State, local and national levels. Learn about CLEE’s projects, research assistant opportunities, events, and more.
Ready, Set, Bid: Previewing California’s First Greenhouse Gas Auction
Thursday, November 8, 5:30pm -7:30pm
Berkeley Law, Room 12
The wait is finally over. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is set to hold its first auction of carbon allowances in the Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) cap-and-trade program on November 14, 2012. CARB held a successful “practice auction” this past August. Revenue raised from the auction will be invested in ways that further the goals of AB32, funding solutions that reduce pollution, increase clean energy generation, keep energy prices down or lessen the impacts of global warming.
Please join us on Thursday, November 8th as CLEE hosts a panel with cap-and-trade experts to discuss the mechanics of the auction, its goals, controversy and challenges surrounding the auction, and uses of the auction revenue. Panelists include:
- Holly Stout, California Air Resources Board
- Alex Jackson, NRDC
- Henry Stern, Office of State Senator Fran Pavley
- Deborah Lambe, Center for Law, Energy & the Environment at Berkeley Law
This panel is co-sponsored by the Berkeley Energy Resources Collaborative (BERC) and BERC@Boalt.
Saving Public Transit: Strategies for an Era of Shrinking Budgets
Public transit in California and the nation—including the shuttles, buses, and passenger rail that serve our communities—has been battered by recession and dwindling public sector budgets. At the same time, ridership in many areas has spiked. This free conference at UCLA Law (co-sponsored by Berkeley Law) will highlight the challenges facing transit and explore solutions to overcome them and develop a world-class transit system. Art Leahy, Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles Metro, will be the keynote speaker. Simulcast is available with registration. Attorneys attending the live event can earn 4.25 hours of MCLE credit.
UCLA School of Law
Friday, November 2, 2012
9:00 am to 4:30 pm
Conference Agenda
Register Here
Talk with U.S. EPA’s Cynthia Giles (’78)
Berkeley Law Room 136
Thursday, October 25, 11am-12pm
Please join us for a discussion with current enforcement chief for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Cynthia Giles. Cynthia is a Berkeley Law graduate (’78). Ms. Giles was nominated by President Obama in 2009 as head of EPA Enforcement and Compliance Assurance and was confirmed by the Senate in May 2009. She will speak to a small group of law students about EPA’s current work on “Next Generation Environmental Compliance.” She will also share insights on her career and stories from her time at Berkeley Law and as a member of Ecology law Quarterly.
You can read more about her in this Berkeley Law feature. There will be ample time for Q & A, so bring your questions! Please RSVP in advance, as space is limited.
Mountaintop Removal and Human Rights in Appalachia
Berkeley Law Room 100
Wednesday, October 24
12:45 PM – 1:50 PM
CLEE, the Human Rights Center, and Students for Environmental and Economic Justice (SEEJ) will host Junior Walk, coalfield resident and activist. Mr. Walk will speak about the practice of mountaintop removal in West Virginia and Appalachia, its impact on human and environmental health, and its contentious role in supporting local economies.
Lunch will be provided by CLEE. Co-sponsored by BERC, CLEE, ELQ, ELS, HRC and SEEJ.
Environmental and Energy Law Careers
Learn about environmental and energy law careers from current non-profit, private sector, and government attorneys. Join us for lunch with these interesting speakers from Morrison Foerster, U.S. Department of Justice (Environment and Natural Resources Division), the Sierra Club, and more. Bring your questions! Lunch will be provided. Co-sponsored by CLEE, ELQ, ELS, BERC, and SEEJ.
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Tuesday, October 16, 2012
12:45pm to 1:55pm
Room 145, Boalt Hall
CLEE and the Wheeler Institute Present at “Back to Boalt Day”
Back-to-Boalt Day on Saturday, September 22 will present a series of engaging panels on how Boalt Hall stands at the vanguard of change in legal education. For those celebrating reunions this year (graduating classes ending in 2 or 7) the evening will end with a festive dinner.
In the afternoon, Join Professors Dan Farber and Michelle Anderson as they discuss the evolution of environmental law education at Boalt, highlighting law and policy research by the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE) and experiential opportunities available to students, including the Environmental Justice Practice Project. You will then hear from special guest Alf Brandt (’88), principal consultant to the California State Assembly specializing in California water resource law and policy. In addition, the Associate Director of the newly established Wheeler Institute for Water Law & Policy, Mike Kiparsky, will present on the Institute’s work fostering innovation in water resource management.
Date: Saturday, September 22nd
Time: 2:15pm – 3:30pm (CLEE’s panel)
Location: Room 130, Boalt Hall
Register here (registration required)
MCLE: 1 hour
Wind and Waves: The Future of Ocean Energy
Offshore renewable energy holds great promise. Recent studies estimate over 500 TW hours/year of wave energy are available along the U.S. West Coast alone with the potential for up to 900 GW of installed wind in the same waters. And although variable, offshore energy — from wind, waves, currents, and tides — is consistent and predictable enough to supply a significant portion of baseload demand. But important questions remain: how can these projects be sited to avoid impacts to sensitive marine life? Can the promise be delivered, and if so, when? Please join us as our distinguished panelists help develop answers based on their real-world experience as regulators, developers, and stake-holders for PG&E’s WaveConnect project and the first U.S. offshore wind project, Cape Wind.
Date: Thursday, September 20th
Time: 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Location: 297 Goldberg Room, Boalt Hall
Register here
Moderator:
- David Ismay, Farella Braun + Martel LLP
Panel:
- William Toman, SAIC Maritime Solutions
- Laura Engeman, California Ocean Protection Council
- Leila Monroe, NRDC Oceans Program
MCLE: 1.5 hours
The Future of Electric Vehicles: A Capitol Hill Lunch Briefing in Washington DC and Policy Report Release
The environmental law centers at the UC Berkeley and UCLA Schools of Law present a lunchtime discussion on policies necessary to stimulate long-term, mass consumer adoption of electric vehicle technologies. A panel discussion of electric vehicle experts and industry representatives will offer insight on the critical state and federal policy options necessary to boost electric vehicle deployment. This free event will coincide with the release of a report from the two law schools on electric vehicle policies suggested for industry and federal, state, and local governments. Complimentary lunch will be served.
Location: Hearing Room 2322, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC
Date: Monday, September 10th
Time: 12 noon to 1:30 p.m.
Click here to access the Webcast
Kindly RSVP by September 7th by clicking here.
Featured Speakers:
- Jay Friedland, Plug In America
- Colleen Quinn, Coulomb Technologies
- Tracy Woodard, Nissan
If you have any questions, please contact the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment at clee@law.berkeley.edu or 510-643-7025.
CLEE Environmental and Energy Program Orientation
Tuesday, August 28, 2012 12:45pm-1:50pm.
Berkeley Law Room 134.
Please join CLEE’s environmental law faculty and representatives from the environmental and energy student groups for a special introduction to the program. This lunch hour will introduce 1Ls, LLM students and other law students to our curriculum, professors, courses, journals and student groups. Student groups attending include BERC, ELQ, ELS, SEEJ and SALDF. You will also be able to sign-up for our environmental and energy student email list, where we distribute event and job announcements. We hope to see you there!
California’s Path to Local Renewable Energy: Challenges, Solutions and Progress Toward Governor Brown’s 12,000 Megawatt Goal
Berkeley Law’s Center for Law, Energy & the Environment will host a webinar on challenges, solutions and progress toward Governor Brown’s goal of attaining 12,000 megawatts of local renewable energy in California by 2020. The webinar will take place on Thursday, June 14, at 2:00 pm PDT.
We will discuss our new report on the major barriers to and policy recommendations for achieving the governor’s local renewable energy goal. Report coauthors Steve Weissman and Jeff Russell will provide an overview of the report, which stems from a 2011 conference convened by Governor Brown. Wade Crowfoot, Deputy Director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, will discuss the state’s progress toward the goal as well as actions the Governor’s Office is taking to help clear the path for development of local renewable energy.
If you are interested in participating in the webinar, please register through the link below to receive instructions for joining.
If you have any questions, please send them to clee@law.berkeley.edu.
Celebrate summer with fellow alumni, students & friends in San Francisco!
Please join us for a CLEE Happy Hour at Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP on Thursday, June 28 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.
This is a great chance to relax, network and mingle with fellow members of the Berkeley Law environmental and energy community in San Francisco. Connect with alums, meet new colleagues, grab a copy of our new Annual Report, and enjoy a drink. We hope to see you there! Refreshments and light snacks will be served.
Kindly RSVP by June 26 by clicking this link: Register Here
Date and Time: Thursday, June 28. 5pm to 7pm.
Location: Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP, 555 California Street10th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104
If you have any questions, please contact the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment at clee@law.berkeley.edu or 510-643-7025.
The Future of Infill: How CEQA Reform and the End of Redevelopment Will Affect Sustainable Development in California
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What is the future of infill development in California in a time of limited public resources? This event will discuss proposals to reinvent redevelopment agencies to bolster infill and to create new methods of financing infill infrastructure. Speakers will also focus on recent efforts to streamline the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for infill projects and the implications of those for California’s downtowns.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
11:45am to 1:30pm (Registration begins at 11:30am)
The Temple Ballroom, Capitol Plaza Ballrooms
1025 9th St, No. 201(Third Floor)
Sacramento, CA 95814 (see this map for directions)
Driving Directions
Lunch will be served
Keynote Address:
- The Honorable Darrell Steinberg, State Senate President pro Tempore
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Panel presentation:
Please click on the name of a link for a pdf file.
- Chris Calfee, Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
- Dan Carrigg, League of California Cities
- Ethan Elkind, Center for Law, Energy & the Environment
- Meea Kang, Domus Development California Infill Builders Federation
Presented by the UC Berkeley and UCLA Schools of Law as part of the Climate Change and
Business Research Initiative. This Initiative develops policies that help business prosper in an era of climate change.
General Information
All attendees must register for the conference online. Registration badges must be worn at all times during the conference. It is your meal and event ticket.
RSVP by Monday, May 14 by clicking on this link. Space is limited.
Environmental and Energy & Clean Technology Law Certificate Ceremony.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
4pm-6pm. Berkeley Law Room 100.
The certificate ceremony for environmental law certificate recipients and energy and clean technology law certificate recipients will be held on Thursday, May 10, 2012 from 4 to 6pm, in Boalt Hall Room 100. This ceremony is for both JD and LLM graduates. Family and friends are warmly invited.
Please RSVP to CLEE Administrator Caroline Cheng by Friday, May 4, 2012. ccheng@law.berkeley.edu.
CLEE 2012 SPRING SPEAKER SERIES
CLEE has partnered with the environmental and energy student groups at Berkeley Law to host the Spring Environment and Energy Speaker Series. This is a collaboration among CLEE, BERC, ELQ, ELS, SALDF, and SEEJ. The series is generously sponsored by Wilson Sonsini Goodrch & Rosati LLP. The series poster is viewable here.
Speaker Series Schedule:
Monday, February 13, 2012
International Climate & Energy Collaborations
12:45pm | Boalt Hall Room 110
Join Gavis Purchas of ClimateWorks Foundation, John Romankiewicz of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab & Professor Alex Wang, visiting professor at Berkeley Law (formerly of NRDC in China), as they discuss international cooperation on clean energy and climate issues. Moderated by CLEE energy program director Steve Weissman. Organized by BERC, BCLT, and CLEE.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Dr. Kathryn Mengerink of the Environmental Law Institute on Fisheries Compliance in the U.S. and Internationally
12:45pm | Boalt Hall Room 244
Kathryn Mengerink, attorney and director of the Ocean Program at the Environmental Law Institute, discusses fisheries compliance and enforcement in the U.S. and internationally. Co-sponsored by the Institute for Legal Research, CLEE, and ELS.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
EJ and Conservation Advocates on Powerplant Clustering Litigation
12:45pm | Boalt Hall Room 141
Attorneys Brent Plater (Wild Equity Institute), Adrienne Block (Communities for a Better Environment) and Jonathan Evans (Center for Biological Diversity) discuss recent litigation concerning four power plants in Oakley and Antioch, which Plaintiffs allege violate the Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species Act. Organized by ELS, ELQ, and CLEE. Co-sponsored by SALDF, BERC and SEEJ.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
AGUA and CWC on “Not A Drop To Drink: The Struggle For Potable Water In The Central Valley”
12:45pm | Boalt Hall Room 105
Veronica & Joanna Mendoza, a mother and daughter representing the AGUA Coalition and Vecinos Unidos, join Laurel Firestone and Carolina Balazs from the Community Water Center to discuss disparities in access to clean drinking water in the Central Valley. *This panel is part of the Environmental Justice Symposium.* Organized by SEEJ.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Katie Cantrell and Bruce Wagman on Factory Farming
12:45pm | Boalt Hall Room 145
Katie Cantrell, founder of the Coalition to Fight Factory Farming, and Bruce Wagman, animal law instructor and partner at Schiff Hardin LLP in San Francisco, discuss their work and advocacy relating to factory farming. Organized by SEEJ, SALDF, and CLEE.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Climate Change talk by Howard Latin
12:45pm | Boalt Hall Room 134
Professor Howard Latin will talk about his forthcoming book, Climate Change Policy Failures: Why Conventional Mitigation Approaches Cannot Succeed. Professor Latin has been on the Rutgers Law School at Newark faculty since 1976. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Australia in 1992 and South Africa in 1997, and he has traveled to more than 40 countries in the past three decades while conducting research on environmental law and biodiversity conservation issues.
Monday, April 9
CLEE Environmental & Energy Curriculum Roll-Out
12:45pm | Boalt Hall Room 145
Join Berkeley Law environmental and energy professors as they discuss their courses for Fall 2012. Don’t miss this opportunity to preview the course offerings before you register.Limited to Berkeley Law students. Light lunch provided.
February 27- March 2, 2012 (all week)
THE 8TH ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SYMPOSIUM
12:45-2:00 pm each day | Boalt Hall, UC School of Law (room information provided below)
The 8th Annual Environmental Justice Symposium, organized by Students for Environmental and Economic Justice (SEEJ). The topic this year is “Overcoming Invisibility: Environmental Justice in Rural America.” This symposium features a week of lunchtime panel discussions on important environmental justice issues impacting rural communities. Lunch will be provided each day and all events are free and open to the public.
CLEE is sponsoring this conference. Schedule of events:
KEYNOTE: THE STRUGGLE FOR CLEAN ENERGY ON TRIBAL LANDS
Monday, February 27, 2012. 12:45-2:00pm. Room 105, UC Berkeley School of Law
Leaders working with communities on the Navajo Nation — Anna Rondon (New Energy Economy), Wahleah Johns (Black Mesa Water Coalition), Brad Bartlett (Western Energy Justice Project), and Caitlin Sislin (Women’s Earth Alliance)—will discuss the struggle against mining and towards clean energy alternatives on tribal lands. Lunch provided from Cafe Gratitude
GENDER, RACE, AND POWER IN THE EJ MOVEMENT
Tuesday, February 28, 2012. 12:45-2:00pm. Room 295 (Warren Room/Old Cafe Zeb), UC Berkeley School of Law
This event brings together female attorneys, advocates and organizers of color to explore ways gender and race have impacted women’s experiences and strategies leading struggles for environmental and economic justice in rural America. Come participate in a conversation withAnna Rondon (New Energy Economy), Felicia Espinosa (California Rural Legal Assistance), Mary Louise Frampton (UC Berkeley School of Law), and Valerie Gorospe (Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment), moderated by Swati Prakash (UC Berkeley School of Law). Lunch provided from Cheeseboard.
WASTING THE VALLEY: DISCRIMINATORY SITING OF HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL
Wednesday, February 29, 2012. 12:45-2:00pm. Room 105, UC Berkeley School of Law
While cities produce most of California’s waste, rural areas bear the brunt of it. All three of the state’s Class I hazardous waste dumps are sited near low-income, unincorporated communities. Ingrid Brostrom, an attorney with the Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment, and Maricela Mares-Alatorre, a community activist and organizer with El Pueblo Para El Aire y Agua Limpio and Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice, will discuss the ongoing struggle in Kettleman City, a rural community near a 1,600-acre hazardous and municipal solid waste dump that has experienced a rash of severe birth defects and infant deaths over the past several years. Moderated by Berkeley Law Professor, Robert Infelise. Lunch provided from Mandela Food Cooperative.
NOT A DROP TO DRINK: THE STRUGGLE FOR POTABLE WATER IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY
Thursday, March 1, 2012. 12:45-2:00 pm. NEW LOCATION: YWCA Auditorium at 2600 Bancroft Way Berkeley, CA 94704
Joanna Mendoza, a youth from Cutler representing the AGUA Coalition and Vecinos Unidos, will join Laurel Firestone and Carolina Balazs from the Community Water Center on a panel to discuss disparities in access to clean drinking water in the Central Valley. Moderated by Berkeley Law Professor Michelle Anderson. Lunch provided from Sunrise Deli Falafel.
A CALL TO ACTION IN RURAL AMERICA
Friday, March 2, 2012. 12:45-2:00pm. Dean’s Seminar Room, UC Berkeley School of Law
Leaders from major organizations in the Central Valley such as California Rural Legal Assistance and Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment will engage in a dialogue with students and professors about Boalt’s current and future commitment to rural issues. Lisa Pruitt from UC Davis Law will moderate. [LIMITED SEATING. PLEASE RSVP TO: shainahyder@fulbrightmail.org]. Lunch provided from Gregiore.
January 25, 2012
Unplugged: The Renewable Energy Speaker Series, Session 7: Is Fast Track On Track?
5:00 – 7:00 pm | Farella Braun + Martell LLP
Before 2010, the United States had never approved a utility-scale solar farm on public land in California. Renewable energy projects on private, state or county lands were limited. With the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as a catalyst, California state, federal and county agencies approved more than 17,000 MW of renewable energy projects in 2010 and 2011 with over 3,000 MW on public lands. These “Fast Track” projects, permitted through close coordination between agencies, consultants, developers and public stakeholders, form the basis of our renewable energy future. While many of the permitted projects are under construction, many solar projects have stalled due to changing markets and the vagaries of a young industry. Please join our panelists from agencies and the developer community as we delve into the fast and furious world of fast-track solar, where it’s been, lessons learned and where it’s going.
MCLE: 1.5 hours
Sponsored By:
- Berkeley Law Center for Law, Energy & the Environment
- Farella Braun + Martel LLP
- The Environmental Law Institute
Location and Time:
Farella Braun + Martel LLP
17th Floor Conference Room
235 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104
T: 415.954.4400
Registration: 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Program: 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Reception: 6:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Teleconference information:
Dial-in: 1-888-759-6039
Participant Code: 415-954-4962
January 21, 2012
California Water Law Symposium
8 am – 6 pm | Boalt Hall
The 8th Annual student-run California Water Law Symposium, hosted this year at UC Berkeley, School of Law. The event is a collaborative effort by students at Berkeley Law, Golden Gate University, Hastings, University of San Francisco, and UC Davis that brings together the major players from around the state.
Registration: http://www.waterlawsymposium.com/
The Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE) is co-sponsoring this event.
December 14, 2011
Catastrophic Events in an Age of Climate Change: Harnessing the Power of Legal and Policy Tools
5:00 – 7:00 pm | Goldberg Room, Berkeley Law
The effect of global warming on weather patterns may be responsible for more powerful storms and hotter, longer dry periods, according to the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report. This trend is The effect of global warming on weather patterns may be responsible for more powerful storms and hotter, longer dry periods, according to the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report. This trend is projected to continue for years to come. How can we use legal and policy tools to prepare for and lessen the consequences of extreme weather events and man-made disasters in an era of climate change?
Professors Daniel Farber and Laurel Fletcher of Berkeley Law will share their research on disaster law and climate change, including lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and the Japanese tsunami. Louis Blumberg, Director of the California Climate Change Program at The Nature Conservancy, will speak about nature-based adaptation to climate change, focusing on the climate extremes of sea level rise, flood, wildfire, and disruption of water supply.
Please join us for this engaging event!
MCLE: 1.5 hours
Registration: http://climatedisasters.eventbrite.com/
Sponsors:
- The California Governor’s Office
- The Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE) at Berkeley Law
- The Nature Conservancy
- Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
December 2, 2011
Local Clean and Green Conference
7:30 am – 5:00 pm | I-House @ 2299 Piedmont Avenue, Berkeley, CA
This conference will showcase promising policies and best practices on climate change for local government officials and stakeholders. The recommendations will be in part drawn from the Berkeley and UCLA Law Business and Climate Change Research Initiative white papers. The conference targets an audience of:
- Key local government decision-makers throughout California;
- State and Federal officials necessary to implementing environmental and energy policies at the local level in California;
- Business leaders from targeted sectors; and
- Advocates and legal practitioners who work on these issues locally.
The event will be an all-day public conference featuring plenary speeches and panels focusing on issues related to business and climate change and presenting various policies available to local government leaders.
Registration required: https://www.law.berkeley.edu/research/center-for-law-energy-the-environment-clee/research/climate-change-and-business-research-initiative/local-clean-and-green-conference/.
Sponsored by:
- Bank of America
- The Center for Law, Energy and the Environment at Berkeley Law
- UCLA School of Law (Environmental Law Center & Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment)
November 3, 2011
Presentation by EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson
12:45 pm – 2:00 pm | Room 105 Boalt Hall, UC Berkeley School of Law
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson will be at Berkeley Law to speak about current EPA policies and the EPA’s reaction to recent House Republican challenges to environmental laws. Administrator Jackson will discuss how the EPA is answering President Obama’s call for federal agencies to work with American businesses and create green jobs.
Jackson has been named one of Newsweek’s “Most Important People in 2010,” and has been featured on Time Magazine’s 2010 and 2011 lists of the “100 Most Influential People in the World.”
She will also answer student questions submitted in advance. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to meet the EPA Administrator!
Advance registration required: http://epaberkeley.eventbrite.com/
October 31, 2011
Progress or Retreat?: The Outlook for a Rule of Law in a Changing China
4 pm | Institute of East Asian Studies (2223 Fulton, 6th Floor)
Sponsors: East Asian Studies, Institute of (IEAS), Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE) at Berkeley Law, Chinese Studies, Center for (CCS)
What is the outlook for Chinese rule of law in the coming years? Three speakers, each with significant on-the-ground experience working on legal development in China, will address this question from a number of perspectives, including resolution of constitutional disputes, the changing role of lawyers, environmental protection, and citizen protest. Professor Alex Wang (UC Berkeley) will discuss the uncertain role of law in China’s efforts to address severe environmental problems, and promising bottom-up efforts at legal innovation on the part of citizens and local courts.
More information here.
October 20-21, 2011
2011 BERC Energy Symposium
The BERC Energy Symposium is the premier energy event at UC Berkeley and the largest student-run energy conference on the West Coast. Key players from the research, business development, policy and economics communities converge on Berkeley’s campus to explore innovative ideas and provide a platform for vibrant discussion among hundreds of attendees.
The 2011 BERC Energy Symposium will commence on the evening of Thursday, October 20th with the BERC Innovation Expo, a showcase of cutting-edge energy research, environmental design and entrepreneurship. The conference will take place on Friday, October 21st featuring nine engaging and in-depth panel discussions, three keynote addresses, and a post-conference reception. This year’s event will build on the expertise of energy leaders
from a wide range of fields to debate the most crucial issues and strategies for addressing our shared global energy challenges.
Register now: bercsymposium.eventbrite.com
For more information: berc.berkeley.edu/symposium
October 5, 2011
Energy Storage: A Current Assessment
4:30 – 7:00 pm | Goldberg Room, Boalt Hall
Energy storage — such as batteries, compressed air and pumped hydro facilities — has been called the “Holy Grail” of the electricity grid. These technologies can balance intermittent solar and wind energy, reduce peak energy demand and provide important grid services, among other roles. But barriers such as high costs, market rules and technology maturity have stymied a significant deployment of energy storage. Coinciding with the completion of a major energy storage report jointly prepared by three University of California campuses, an expert panel will discuss the commercial status of the various technologies, legislative and regulatory efforts underway, ongoing research and development needs and potential market reforms to boost energy storage deployment in California and beyond.
Registration required: https://secure.lenos.com/lenos/fbm/ELIsept2011/prepopgateway.asp
MCLE: 1.5 hours
Sponsored By:
Berkeley Law Center for Law, Energy & the Environment
Farella Braun + Martel LLP
The Environmental Law Institute
FALL 2011 LAW SCHOOL EVENTS
October 20, 2011
Environmental & Energy Curriculum Rollout
12:45-1:50 pm | Room 134 Boalt Hall
Come learn more about the environmental and energy courses that we will be offering this spring. Lunch will be provided. This event is open to UC Berkeley student only.
October 19, 2011
Environmental Careers Panel
12:45 – 1:50 p.m. | 145 Boalt Hall, School of Law
Want to learn more about careers in environmental and energy law? Join us on October 19 to hear from Berkeley Law alumni working at NRDC, PG&E, Shute Mihaly & Weinberger, and San Francisco Baykeeper. This panel is sponsored by the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE), working with student groups ELQ, ELS, SALDF, and SEEJ. Lunch will be provided to attendees.
October 1, 2011
Alumni Weekend Event: Local Renewable Energy Policy and Job Creation in California
2:15–3:30 pm | Boalt Hall
Join Steve Weissman of the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE), former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, CA Senior Policy Advisory Ken Alex, and Solaria VP David Hochschild discuss California Governor Jerry Brown’s pledge to quadruple local energy renewables by 2020 and create new jobs in the state. CLEE is working with Governor Brown’s office to identify the legal and policy barriers and solutions for achieving this goal. Under Governor Granholm, Michigan rose to fourth in the nation for solar industry jobs and first for clean energy patents. (One hour general MCLE credit)
Registration required: https://www.law.berkeley.edu/reunion2011.htm