Join the Florida Environmental Network and the Florida Chamber Foundation at its 32nd Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School from July 17-20, 2018, in Marco Island.
Each year, Gunster is honored to have its attorneys tapped as industry leaders to present their insights on the numerous environmental and growth management laws and regulations affecting Florida’s citizens and businesses. This year, the following Gunster attorneys will be leading various breakout and continuing education sessions:
Amy Brigham Boulris is an instructor for the Recent Developments in Property Rights session on Wednesday July 18.
This course discusses recent state and federal legal decisions, legislative proposals and enactments, and anything else of interest to those who deal with the nitty-gritty of public and private property issues. It is intended for the seasoned practitioner; however, all are encouraged to attend.
Rick Burgess will serve as a panelist during the Florida Brownfields: A Comprehensive Technical, Regulatory, and Legal Update on Thursday July 19.
This panel will examine the current state of regulatory and financial incentives as well market dynamics, financing considerations, and other concerns that help private developers and local governments collaborate to overcome the risk, limit the liability, and manage the cleanup costs associated with taking title to and redeveloping contaminated sites. Specific examples of successful and profitable projects and the community benefits they create will be discussed. A comprehensive discussion of applicable Florida and federal rules and best management practices will be presented by a leading panel of Florida experts who will also provide a replicable, scalable, and easy-to-follow path for private development principals, local government planners, lenders, and other brownfield stakeholders.
Terry Cole will moderate the panel discussion on Implementing Florida's Numeric Nutrient Criteria (NNC) on Thursday July 19.
After the many years of research, evaluation, debate, and litigation, numeric nutrient criteria are now being implemented. This course now focuses on the science of dealing with NNC and current experiences around the state. Implementation will generate significant business opportunities for consulting firms in the biological and engineering fields and laboratories (not to mention law firms). We have reserved an ample amount of time at the end of the course to answer questions, and engage in an informal give-and-take among the audience and panelists. This is not a course for the uninformed. Your course “text” will be DEP rules and documents governing the implementation of numeric nutrient criteria. Your instructors will discuss these rules with their strengths and weakness and potential pitfalls for permittees. There will be opportunity for exchange among panelists and audience during this highly technical, 2-part course designed to explore and provide an update on this extremely significant rule and how all affected parties are dealing with the numerous scientific, technical and legal issues involved in the application of NNC in Florida.
Lila Jaber is a panelist for the Energy Policy and Environmental Regulatory Reform Under the New Trump Administration discussion on Thursday July 19.
This timely panel will discuss the most significant policy decisions and regulatory as well as philosophical changes that occurred during the first year of Trump’s presidency, focusing on current and potential implications for the energy and industry sectors in Florida. The new administration is overhauling and redefining the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s role in establishing and enforcing environmental policy and regulations. EPA has plans to eliminate some programs, including the Clean Power Plan, and to significantly change how other programs are implemented, such as scope of jurisdictional waters under the Clean Water Act and the regulation of coal combustion residuals. In an effort to help regulated industry, EPA has issued memoranda to ease Clean Air Act New Source Review requirements and to abolish a long-standing policy under the Clean Air Act related to standards for hazardous air pollutants (called once-in-always-in), and has withdrawn several proposed rules. At the same time, President Trump released an ambitious plan to streamline environmental reviews for new infrastructure. As the new administration continues its agenda to “de-regulate” and rollback newer requirements, President Trump is proposing a $2 billion (25%) reduction in EPA’s budget. Trump has proposed to eliminate the funding for most of the programs focused on climate change, and the US may withdraw from international climate change agreements. As part of EPA’s effort to redefine its role, the administration is transferring program authority and responsibility to states. EPA is approaching enforcement and penalties in a different manner, and the US Department of Justice will no longer bring enforcement actions based on guidance documents. With decades of experience between them, these panelists are sure to provide key information and insights, highlighting some of the most important developments to date and what to expect over the coming months.
Debbie Madden will serve as the moderator during the Comprehensive Watershed Management panel on Thursday July 19.
This panel will provide an in-depth examination of agency emphasis on watershed management as a means of comprehensively integrating a variety of planning and regulatory programs currently implemented by DEP and water management districts; these include TMDLs, stormwater, NPDES, PLRGs, Water Quality Credit Trading, and both structural and non-structural floodplain planning and management; practical considerations; organizing stakeholders; discussion of need for statutory changes as well as changes to current agency practices.
Luna Phillips will participate in the following courses:
Moderator for the Lake Okeechobee and the Estuaries: A Water Management Balancing Act panel on Wednesday July 18.
The panel will discuss how Lake management decisions affect their differing interests and obligations and the varying issues that must be balanced to make effective decisions. They will focus on the very latest developments affecting the Lake and estuaries, including the latest update from the Legislature, applicable provisions of the Water Policy Bill, status of the Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule, schedule for the Herbert Hoover Dike Rehabilitation, endangered species, latest studies and status of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan projects and what can be expected over the coming year. In Part II of this panel, the speakers will openly discuss the various options and solutions for addressing the issues.
Moderator for the Essentials of Obtaining and Environmental Resource Permit: The Nuts and Bolts of ERP Permitting course on Wednesday July 18.
This course will provide a detailed and in-depth breakdown of all aspects and components necessary for the environmental professional to obtain an ERP permit in an efficient and effective manner. This course will take the audience through all the steps in the review and issuance of an ERP permit including an administrative permit challenge. In addition, the course will discuss how new and proposed rules and policies are affecting the permitting process. Learn from this highly-experienced panel all of the essential criteria and policies, including wetland and mitigation requirements, stormwater requirements, water quality and administrative and legal requirements critical to finalize a permit. This course is a must for environmental professionals who want to understand all aspects of ERP permitting to better represent their clients and deliver efficient results.
Beth Ross will instruct during the Emerging Water Supply Issues, Including an Update on the Central Florida Water Initiative panel on Wednesday July 18.
This will be an advanced discussion of multiple issues including emerging challenges in meeting future water demands; innovative water supply projects; meeting the conceptual costs of distribution and storage of reclaimed water; legal and policy issues regarding the control of reclaimed water for future public and private reuse; and regulatory challenges and innovative approaches to addressing these issues. One such approach is the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI). The CFWI area covers all or part of five central Florida counties, includes portions of three water management districts, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, as well as several regional public water utilities, landowners, local governments, agriculture and various other stakeholder interests.
For further details and information, please visit the Florida Environmental Network website.
