Environmental Justice Series

DESCRIPTION:  

This Environmental Justice webinar series will review policy trends, Justice40, updates to federal tools, community engagement examples, and state air permitting perspectives.

 

DATE: Thursday, August 11 Register here for the August 11th program only. 

and Tuesday, August 16, 2022 Register here for the August 16th program only. 

TIME:  1:00-2:30 Eastern Time

 

Environmental Justice #1- Thursday, August 11th

TITLE:

Environmental Justice in Balance:  Policy and Impacts on Regulatory Action

This panel discussion on Environmental Justice will provide insights and information relevant to both the regulated and regulatory communities on current and potential  impacts of EJ policies on regulatory action, enforcement, and case resolution. 

Moderator:

Ms. Nancy Meilahn Fowler, PE, Environmental Consultant, Kleinfelder

Ms. Nancy Meilahn Fowler, PE is an environmental consultant with Kleinfelder, working in Houston, TX.  Her clients have ranged across the spectrum from municipal to federal and from small “mom and pop” businesses to Fortune 100 corporations.  She has over two decades of experience specializing in EHS, waste management, and sustainability, and has participated in environmental justice activities associated with facility permitting, highway expansion, and legacy waste sites.

She is a licensed Engineer in California and Texas, holds an online Certificate in Sustainable Management from Duke, and a degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering from The University of Texas. 

 

Presenters:

Brittany Bolen, Senior Policy Advisor, Sidley Austin LLP’s Washington, DC office

Brittany Bolen is a senior policy advisor in Sidley Austin LLP’s Washington, DC office. Her practice involves counseling and advocacy on complex environmental regulatory and policy matters. Brittany brings extensive federal government experience with a deep understanding of the rulemaking and legislative processes. She joined Sidley from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where she served as the associate administrator for policy and senior counsel to the administrator. As the former head of EPA’s Office of Policy, she oversaw agencywide regulatory development and policymaking, including cross-cutting areas of environmental justice, permitting, and sector-based engagement.

Gussie Lord

Gussie Lord, Managing Attorney, Tribal Partnerships Program at Earthjustice

Gussie Lord is the managing attorney of the Tribal Partnerships Program at Earthjustice, an environmental nonprofit. She represents tribes and Indigenous communities in litigation and other environmental advocacy efforts.

Gussie has worked with dozens of tribes in federal, state, and tribal courts and administrative proceedings, and has worked with tribes in the development and enforcement of tribal environmental laws and regulations. Gussie is well-versed in issues related to tribal jurisdiction and sovereignty and is a member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin.

Nicole Noelliste, Managing Associate, environmental practice of Sidley Austin LLP, Washington D.C.

Nicole Noëlliste is a managing associate in the environmental practice of Sidley Austin LLP in Washington D.C. She advises clients on a wide range of complex environmental matters, including enforcement defense, regulatory compliance, and rulemaking challenges.

She regularly counsels clients on federal and state environmental justice issues in permitting matters, enforcement actions, and applications for Justice40 funding.

Nicole has substantial government experience having served as an Honor’s Attorney at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, an Honors Law Clerk at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the Office of General Counsel, and a law clerk within the Environmental and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

She is recognized in the 2021-2023 editions of the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for her work in environmental law.

 

Environmental Justice #2- Tuesday, August 16th

The Role of Community and Environmental Justice in Air Quality Permitting

Description:

How might environmental justice affect your next air permit application? EPA’s Director of Environmental Justice Matthew Tejeda is joined by state air quality directors to address the role of communities and environmental justice in permitting.  EPA will review federal environmental justice tools being implemented to support the White House’s Justice40 initiative and future rulemaking.  State leaders will review criteria and processes being used to conduct enhanced public engagement during the air permitting process to encourage involvement of environmental justice communities in permitting decisions.

Moderator:

Heidi Hollenbach

Heidi Hollenbach, District Supervisor, Air Quality Division, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)

     Heidi Hollenbach is District Supervisor for the Air Quality Division, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) in the Grand Rapids office. 

Heidi currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Air & Waste Management Association as Vice President.  She has also held leadership roles and is a longtime member of the West Michigan Chapter of A&WMA.  Heidi has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Bucknell University and a Master of Science degree in Natural Resource Management from the University of Michigan.

Presenters:

Mike Abraczinskas, Director, North Carolina Division of Air Quality

Mike Abraczinskas is the Director of the North Carolina Division of Air Quality. 

He has worked for the Division for 23 years in total with experience in Modeling, Emissions Inventories, Mobile Sources, Compliance, Planning, and Rule-making.  Mike has been Director since 2017 and currently serves as an officer on the Boards of the Carolinas Air Pollution Control Association (CAPCA) and the Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies (AAPCA).

Matthew S. Tejada, PhD, Senior Executive and Director, Office of Environmental Justice, EPA

Matthew S. Tejada joined EPA in March of 2013 as a career senior executive and director of the Office of Environmental Justice.  As director, Matthew leads the Environmental Justice Program’s cross-cutting work throughout the EPA and across activities with other federal agencies, states, Tribes, local governments, and other stakeholders.  Before his career at EPA, Matthew spent over five years as executive director of the environmental justice advocacy Air Alliance Houston in the Houston and Texas Gulf Coast area.  Matthew received his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Oxford where he was a member of St. Antony’s College and a BA in English from the University of Texas at Austin, then served two years in the Peace Corps.  Matthew is a native of Ft. Worth, Texas, lives with his wife Andrea in Silver Spring, Maryland and is the proud father of Nia Tejada.

Annette Switzer, Incoming Air Quality Division Director, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)

Annette Switzer is the incoming Air Quality Division Director for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).  Prior to that, Annette served as the Permit Section Manager, overseeing the Permit to Install/New Source Review program since 2016.  Annette joined the Air Quality Division in 2008 as a Permit Engineer and has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Engineering from Michigan Technological University. 

 

 WEBINAR DATE:

 Dates: Thursday, August 11 & Tuesday, August 16

 Time: 1:00pm-2:30pm Eastern Time

 Fees:

  SERIES

Member                  $169.00

 Non-Member         $229.00

Individual Webinar:

Non-Member         $99.00

Non-Member         $149.00