Law Seminars International Presents: The Third Annual Conference on

Renewable Energy in the Pacific Northwest
A comprehensive update on current law, policy and economics

Order Download PDF Brochure

(For this past program, we offer two options for purchase: a Homestudy (DVD and written materials) or written materials alone.)

August 9 & 10, 2007
Sheraton Seattle Hotel in Seattle, WA

Who Should Order This Homestudy

Attorneys, industry executives, government officials, and consumer advocates involved with energy infrastructure investment, public policy and resource development

Why Order

This conference brings together federal and state policy makers, developers, utility managers and financial players to address current issues in renewables and energy efficiency. These high-level speakers will address the present status and prognosis for federal and state policies, the next wave of technology that will make a difference, and necessary preconditions for increased investment in this sector.

While the conference will provide an excellent overview of the pertinent law, policy and economics, the goal is convene a sophisticated, focused faculty and audience, and to stimulate new insights and new relationships that will benefit these dynamic sectors as they continue to rise in national importance.

~ Program Co-Chairs: Robert D. Kahn, Ed. D., William H. Holmes, Esq., and Timothy L. McMahan, Esq.

What You Will Learn

What Attendees Said

Agenda

Thursday, August 09, 2007

8:00 am

Registration and Continental Breakfast

 
8:30 am

Introduction and Overview

Robert D. Kahn, Ed. D., Program Co-Chair, Principal
Robert D. Kahn & Company / Mercer Island, WA

William H. Holmes, Esq., Program Co-Chair
Stoel Rives LLP / Portland, OR

 
8:45 am

Cutting Edge Developments in Renewables and Energy Efficiency

Current status of the technologies; potential for future growth; challenges in realizing the potential.

Stanley R. Bull, Ph.D., Associate Director of Renewable Electricity Science and Technology
U.S. Department of Energy: National Renewable Energy Laboratory / Golden, CO

 
9:30 am

The Environmental Imperative Driving Energy Innovation

Jan Hamrin, Ph.D., President
Center for Resource Solutions / San Francisco, CA

 
10:15 am

Break

 
10:30 am

Legislative Drivers and Barriers

Climate change: The legislative ice dam is breaking up

Michael G. Lufkin, Esq.
Marten Law Group / Seattle, WA

Update on the status of the Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), production tax credits and policy drivers

James Van Nostrand, Esq.
Perkins Coie LLP / Portland, OR

Update on implementation of the renewables and energy efficiency provisions of the 2005 Energy Policy Act (EPAct); FERC’s recent Order 890 Open Access Transmission Tariff

Pamela J. Anderson, Esq.
Van Ness Feldman / Seattle, WA

 
12:15 pm

Lunch (on your own)

 
1:30 pm

A Special Report on the Northwest Power and Conservation Council - Resource Development and Power Planning

Tom Karier, Ph.D., Chair
Northwest Power and Conservation Council / Spokane, WA

 
2:15 pm

The Interplay Between Renewables and Economic Development

Clean energy technologies: A critical piece to Governor Gregoire's next Washington state business plan and our state's response to climate change

Tony Usibelli, Assistant Director Energy Policy Division
Washington DCTED / Olympia, WA

 
3:00 pm

Break

 
3:15 pm

Trends in Financing and Investment

Trends in transactional structures; where the money is flowing; what the investors are looking for in this booming sector

Institutional equity

Daniel Elkort
Babcock & Brown / San Francisco, CA

Public investment

Ann Grodnik, Assistant Vice President
Seattle-Northwest Securities Corporation / Seattle, WA

 
5:00 pm

Reception for Faculty and Attendees Sponsored by Stoel Rives LLP

 

Friday, August 10, 2007

8:00 am

Registration and Continental Breakfast

 
8:30 am

Introduction and Overview

Robert D. Kahn, Ed. D, Program Co-Chair
Robert D. Kahn & Company / Mercer Island, WA

Timothy L. McMahan, Esq., Program Co-Chair
Stoel Rives LLP / Portland, OR

 
8:45 am

Major Transmission Issues Facing Renewables in the West and the Likely Outcomes

Transmission constraints on development; elusive grid optimization prospects for the West; resolving transmission challenges and tapping (new) renewable energy resources

Scott A. Gutting, President
Energy Strategies, LLC / Salt Lake City, UT

 
9:30 am

Siting and Permitting Challenges

Is Washington State representative of what wind power advocates are experiencing as they seek to meet growing demand? Lessons from other parts of the country

Darrel Lee Peeples, Esq.
Attorney at Law / Olympia, WA

Timothy L. McMahan, Esq., Program Co-Chair
Stoel Rives LLP / Portland, OR

 
10:15 am

Break

 
10:30 am

Tribal Power Development

Problems and opportunities involved in bringing an energy project from concept to full operation

Margaret M. Schaff, Esq.
Schaff & Clark-Deschene, LLC / Boulder, CO

 
11:15 am

Update on the Push Towards Greater Use of Renewables in the Transportation Sector and the Potential Impact on the Electric Industry

The transportation sector is beginning the transition away from fossil fuels. With multiple pathways competing for investment and subsidies, which are most likely to win broad market success? Why? How?

Steve Marshall, Esq., Chair
Municipal League of King County / Seattle, WA

Electrification and hybrids

Danielle Fugere, Esq., Regional Program Director
Friends of the Earth / San Francisco, CA

Converting the sugars in biomass into fuel

Mary Blanchard, Director, Marketing & Strategy
Virent Energy Systems, Inc. / Madison, WI

 
11:30 am

Making Sustainability Real: The Role of Congress

How has the change of parties and greater national recognition of climate change as a serious risk and renewables and energy efficiency as credible responses affected policymaking within the halls of Congress?

The Hon. Jay Inslee, Esq., U.S. Representative
Washington's 1st Congressional District / Washington, DC

 
12:30 pm

Evaluations and Adjourn

 

Cancellation

There is a $25 cancellation fee for Course Materials orders and $50 for Homestudy orders

Continuing Education Credits

This program qualifies for 10 WA CLE credits. Upon request, we will apply for CLE credits in other states and other types of credits.

Cost

Our complete Homestudy Course, consisting of a VHS or DVD recording and the written course materials, is available for $905. The written course materials alone are available for $100. We will ship your homestudy order via UPS ground within two weeks after the seminar or the date we receive payment (whichever is later).
Order Homestudy

Faculty Bios

William H. Holmes, Program Co-Chair, is a member of Stoel Rives LLP and concentrates on energy law with a special emphasis on wind and renewable energy. He also practices water law, real estate law, and general corporate transactions. He has been the President of the Board of Directors and pro bono counsel for Portland's Habitat for Humanity and is in the 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in "Energy Law" and "Environmental Law".

Robert D. Kahn, Ed. D., Program Co-Chair, is Principal and co-founder of Robert D. Kahn & Company, a strategic communications agency known for its work in energy policy, permit assistance, environmental management and public acceptance of new technology. He is Executive Director of the Northwest Independent Power Producers Coalition, a founding board member of the Renewable Northwest Project advocacy group, and a U.S. correspondent for New Energy, the official publication of the European Renewable Energies Federation. In the past, he worked with Buckminster Fuller and the National Science Foundation.

Timothy L. McMahan, Program Co-Chair, a partner with Stoel Rives LLP, concentrates his practice on land use, real estate development, environmental, and municipal law and has represented energy facility developers, property owners and municipal clients, including the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) and the Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC). He focuses on permitting shoreline developments, utility and energy facilities including pipelines, natural gas generation and wind energy facilities, and commercial and industrial facilities.

Pamela J. Anderson, member with Van Ness Feldman, represents utilities and natural gas, crude oil, products pipelines and, as a certified public accountant, combines her legal and financial expertise to assist clients with the complex processes of regulatory compliance, rate litigation and rate making before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and state regulatory bodies.

Mary Blanchard, Director of Marketing and Strategy with Virent Energy Systems, Inc., oversees marketing initiatives and research, strategic planning, governmental affairs, and public relations. Previously, she served in various international and domestic marketing and product management positions at Tellabs, Inc.

Stanley R. Bull, Ph. D. is the Associate Director of Renewable Electricity Science and Technology, at the U. S. Department of Energy: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Vice President of Midwest Research Institute with extensive experience in energy and related applications including renewable energy, energy efficiency, transportation systems, bioenergy and leading energy research and development.

Daniel Elkort, a senior officer in Babcock & Brown's North American infrastructure group, is responsible for managing the financing of Babcock & Brown's North American renewables facilities. He is also serves as the senior legal officer in Babcock & Brown's North American infrastructure group.

Danielle Fugere, Regional Program Director for Friends of the Earth, focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through innovative transportation strategies including clean alternative fuels and vehicles. Previously, she was managing partner of Environmental Advocates, a law firm representing non-profit clients in environmental enforcement actions.

Ann Grodnik, Assistant Vice President with the Seattle-Northwest Securities Corporation, focuses on the power sector in the Northwest with Public Finance's Energy Group. She specializes in greenhouse gas emissions markets and renewable energy financial strategies.

Scott A. Gutting, President and Founder of Energy Strategies, LLC, coordinates the efforts of a team of economists, engineers, business strategists and financial analysts in all of Energy Strategies' consulting activities.

Jan Hamrin, Ph.D., President of the Center for Resource Solutions, is experienced in the renewable energy industry and has advised on the design and implementation of clean energy policies and programs in the United States and abroad. She currently leads CRS’s climate change programs.

Michael G. Lufkin, attorney with Marten Law Group, focuses on environmental law and natural resource litigation with special expertise in climate change. In 2005 he was named a "Rising Star" by Washington Law & Politics and received a fellowship from the Robert Bosch Foundation enabling him to study the new European Union program on carbon emissions trading.

Steve Marshall, Chair of the Municipal League of King County, was previously the Assistant General Manager in the Power & Transmission Services Division of the Snohomish County PUD, focusing on power contract negotiations, resource development and industry restructuring.

Margaret M. Schaff, partner at Schaff & Clark-Deschene, LLC, specializes in utility, oil and gas and energy policy work for tribal governments, including the Wind River Energy Company, Umpqua Indian Utility Cooperative and the Dine' Power Authority.

James Van Nostrand, partner with Perkins Coie LLP, focuses on electricity and gas regulation, utility mergers and acquisitions, telecommunications and administrative law. He is listed in Washington Law & Politics as one of Washington's Super Lawyers and in The Best Lawyers in America.