On February 3-4, 2011, Practising Law Institute (PLI), the nation's largest producer of continuing legal education, presented the First Annual Energy and Environmental Law Institute with the University of Houston Law Center. Professor David Percy presented a paper at the Institute on "The Development of the Canadian Oil Sands: a Legal and Policy Backgrounder".
Legal issues in the energy industry played a pivotal role in U.S. economic and security policy during the first year of the Obama administration, and new federal environmental mandates affecting the energy arena have risen to similar prominence. As few energy practitioners can counsel their clients without understanding the latest important developments in environmental law, most environmental practitioners need to grasp the key changes in energy policy that affect greenhouse gas emissions, overall air quality, siting and land use, and renewable energy and demand response mandates.
The program provided a survey of the most important recent developments and actions in both the energy and environmental legal arenas. It also offers insights on pending initiatives that might affect each field. The Institute will draw on a mix of senior government officials, experienced outside counsel, and upper-level in-house counsel to provide a broad overview and practical advice on developing trends in both energy and environmental law.
Among the topics covered were important trends and regulatory developments in both energy and environmental law; key legal initiatives in climate change, oil and gas, renewable energy, and nuclear power development; new legislation and regulations for offshore energy drilling, production and spill response after the Deepwater Horizon events and in light of development of natural gas from non-traditional areas, particularly shale deposits; pending EPA and state enforcement initiatives that might affect the development of oil and gas from traditional, nontraditional and offshore resources; and emerging issues in electric power, including nuclear and coal fired power development.
For more information about Professor David Percy, please click here.
Professor David Percy