Conferences and Lectures
conferences and Lectures 2012-13 Each year, Pace hosts a number of exciting conferences, lectures, and workshops that bring experts from every area of the environmental field to campus. Here are some highlights: Garrison Lecture on Environmental Law: Inside EPA
On March 12, Georgetown Law Professor Heinzerling presented her lecture, “Inside EPA,” at this annual event honoring the memory and work of Lloyd Garrison, known for Lisa Heinzerling championing Scenic Hudson in the battle to preserve Storm King Mountain. She spoke on the complex and sometimes disconcerting relationship between the EPA and the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). Her article on this subject will be published in the Pace Environmental Law Review.
Kerlin Lecture: The Executive and the Environment: A Look at the Last Five Governors of New York
Delayed a few months by Superstorm Sandy, Dean Patricia Salkin of Touro Law School visited Patricia Salkin campus at the end of January to speak on the role of governors of New York State in protecting the environment. She argued that advocates should focus more of their efforts to implement progressive environmental policy on the governor who controls dozens of agencies and resources - rather than appealing to the more than 200 members of the state legislature.
Victor Dover giving a keynote address at the Land Use Law Center’s annual conference
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Center for Environmental Legal Studies
Places for People: Strategies and Funding for Sustainable Communities
On December 7, the Land Use Law Center’s 11th annual Land Use and Sustainable Development Conference brought together more than 200 attorneys, planners, and local leaders to learn about national, regional, and local innovations, challenges, and best practices. During the conference, the Center released its Technical Guidance Manual for Sustainable Neighborhoods, created in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
Microgrids in New England: A Workshop Series for Communities and Stakeholders
The Pace Energy and Climate Center hosted a workshop in October to explore the societal benefits and technical challenges of the use of microgrids in the northeastern states.
The Hurricane Sandy blackout spurred interest in microgrids (David Shankbone, Wikimedia)
Turning Local Organic Wastes into Vehicle Fuel: An Environmental and Economic Opportunity for New York State Communities
Also in October, the Pace Energy and Climate Center and Energy Vision assembled a workshop to discuss the opportunities and obstacles associated with converting organic wastes to transportation fuel. Use of biomethane or renewable natural gas (RNG) reduces fossil fuel consumption, GHG emissions, and buildup of otherwise useable organic municipal waste. Representatives from the municipal and private sectors in Canada and the United States presented case studies describing the environmental and economic aspects of this growing technology: conversion of gases from landfills, wastewater treatment plants, and anaerobic digesters.