Legislation Committee (Environmental & Energy Law)

The Legislation Committee serves New York environmental and energy lawyers and the public. Its mission is to bring together practitioners to discuss important environmental and energy issues being considered by the New York State Legislature and to provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of leading environmental and energy issues facing the State.

Each Spring, in Albany, the Annual Legislative Forum, which is free and open to the public, brings together leaders of the New York State Legislature for an update and discussion of legislative priorities and accomplishments of the Legislative Session. The Chairs of the Senate and Assembly Environmental Conservation Committees are invited to open the annual event.

The Annual Legislative Forum features a Panel Discussion of experts on significant and important environmental and energy issues. The topics have been far reaching, and have included: Environmental Enforcement, Clean Water Infrastructure, Solar Power and Farmlands, Climate Change, Hurricane Sandy, Clean Water Sustainability, Clean Water Litigation Trends, a celebration of 50 years of Environmental Law Accomplishments, the implementation of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, diverse emerging Renewable Energy Sectors including Wind Power, Community Solar Power, and Battery Storage Systems, and the emerging efforts to bring market forces to impact  Climate Change such as Climate Disclosure laws, among others.

The Annual Legislative Forum is also a luncheon that brings together environmental and energy practitioners, government attorneys, advocates, law students, and interested members of the community and the public to share a meal, network, and to enjoy our Annual Keynote address.

Keynote speakers are luminaries in the environmental and energy law fields, and have included, among others, Commissioners of the Department of Environmental Conservation, Regional Administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Chair and CEO of the Public Service Commission, leading not-for-profit environmental advocates, and leading academics, to discuss major issues of the day.

The Committee looks forward to continuing the in-person Luncheon tradition, which is an important service and event for members and the public. In addition, the Committee will continue with the virtual format for the foreseeable future, as it has brought together a diverse audience to the event, including registrants from Asia, the Caribbean, and throughout the United States.

Committee Chair

John L. Parker, Esq.