Environmental & Energy Law Section Legislative Forum 2026

John Parker, Esq.

Jeshica Patel, Esq.

Co-Chairs

Legislation Committee

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New York State Legislative Leaders               

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.         

Deborah Glick (Invited)

Assemblymember 66th District

Chair, Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee

Peter Harckham

Senator, 40th District

Chair, Senate Environmental Conservation Committee

Didi Barrett

Assemblymember 106th District

Chair, Assembly Energy Committee, invited

Kevin Parker

Senator, 21st District

Chair, Senate Energy Committee, invited

Panel Discussion                                               

11:00 a.m. -12:15 p.m.         

"Navigating a Changing Climate:  The Future of the CLCPA is at a Crossroads.”

The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act was enacted in 2019 to set forth aggressive goals to reduce the climate changing emissions impacting state residents in a variety of key ways, and to decarbonize the economy. Notably, it sets forth goals including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 and reaching zero emission electricity by 2040. The accomplishment of these goals is based on a framework of community involvement in climate governance, environmental justice and equity, workforce training and opportunity, improving public health, and climate resilience. These goals would be implemented with specific electricity generation targets for renewable energy including for solar, wind, and battery energy storage.

In the ensuing years, many developments, some foreseeable and some not, have increased the difficulty in meeting the aggressive timelines. These include: the significantly growing artificial intelligence industry and the increase in cloud-based computing services both requiring significant energy supply, changing federal mandates and incentives for renewable energy technologies, rising energy bills for consumers, and associated affordability issues in the economy have raised concerns about the costs to residents of meeting the climate mandates. These developing realities have caused many to revisit the energy supply makeup in the state and the timelines for decarbonization.

The Panel discussion will focus on the ongoing debate about the climate change mandates, the energy sector efforts to meet the CLCPA goals, challenges facing these industries, and possible changes to the climate requirements and future timelines. 

Panelists

Laurie Wheelock, Esq.

Executive Director and Counsel

New York Public Utility Law Project

Dr. Cynthia A. Phillips

Chief Executive Officer and Founder   

22^nd Century by Design Solutions, Inc.

Moderator:

John L. Parker, Esq.

Sahn Ward Braff Coschignano, PLLC

Uniondale, NY

Keynote Speaker:                                                                 

12:30 p.m.

Doreen Harris

President and Chief Executive Officer

New York State Energy Research

and Development Authority

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The Annual Legislative Forum is a free and open to the public event that brings together New York State Legislative leaders and key experts to discuss a variety of new developments in environmental and energy law from many perspectives. It is a non-partisan event that lawyers from the public and private sectors and others interested in these fields attend each year.

The event features the leaders of the Environmental Conservation and Energy Committees of the Assembly and of the Senate of the New York State Legislature to discuss priorities and accomplishments.  

The Keynote Speaker is a leading figure in environmental and energy law that will address current events.

Please also join us the night prior to the Forum for the complimentary networking reception at the New York State Bar Association, 1 Elk Street, Albany, NY. Registration required.

Albany Membership Reception | Environmental & Energy Law Section – New York State Bar Association