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2012 Annual National Environmental, Energy and Resources Law Summit: Environmental Issues in Business Transactions

April 26-27, 2012
Fairmont Waterfront Hotel
Vancouver, BC

Join us for another joint effort with the American Bar Association's Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources ("SEER"), which has coordinated its National Council meetings to be held in Vancouver following the Summit. This program has been designed to provide private practitioners, in-house corporate and government counsel, regulators and other professionals with an annual update on the hottest issues in the environmental, energy and resources law field and unprecedented access to leading experts. This year's theme is environmental issues in business transactions.

Program Co-Chairs:
Tony Crossman, Miller Thomson
Sarah Powell, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

ABA SEER Liaison:
Alexandra Dunn, Executive Director and General Counsel, National Association of Clean Water Agencies

Summit attendees are welcome to attend the joint NEERLS and SEER business meeting immediately following the Summit as well as the NEERLS full-day business meeting on April 28. This is a terrific opportunity to get to know more about both Sections.

For more information please visit the summit webpage.

Introduction to “Field Posts”
Shauna Finlay

It’s a new year for NEERLS and the website, complete with a new feature!  This year will include monthly “Field Posts” on environmental, energy and natural resources law developments from across the country regarding.  These posts will be designed to give you a “heads up” to interesting news, relevant cases and changes to federal and provincial laws.  Interested in contributing to a post?  Contact Shauna Finlay at shauna.finlay@fmc-law.com and stay tuned!

Field Post - October 2011

Gathering Steam – The Draft Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-Fired Generation of Electricity Regulations

Shauna Finlay (Alberta)

The Government of Canada recently released the Draft Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-Fired Generation of Electricity Regulations (the “Draft Regulations”) for comment by the public.  The public commentary period closes on October 26, 2011.
 
The Draft Regulations aim to phase out the use of coal-fired generation units, unless such units are associated with carbon capture storage systems (“CCS”) that enable such generation units to meet the intensity limits set by the Draft Regulations.  The intensity level chosen (375 tonnes of CO2 emissions per GWh during a calendar year) is to mirror the intensity level of Natural Gas Combined Cycle technology , or the performance of an average coal-fired generation plant using CCS that captures approximately 70% of its emissions.  The Draft Regulations apply to coal-fired electricity generation units that have been characterized as either (i) old, (ii) new, or (iii) existing.  The intensity limits will initially only apply to “new units”, and “old units” that have reached the end of their useful life.  “Existing units” will not be subject to the intensity limit until they reach the end of their useful life, in each case as defined in the Draft Regulations.  The Draft Regulations set out some time limited flexibilities to ensure the integrity of supply of electricity, subject to ministerial (Minister of the Environment) approval.  

Read full post (wtih CBA membership number)

NEERLS 2011 NEERLS / Department of Justice annual meetings

2011 Walter Owen Book Prize awarded for legal texts on climate change law, public inquiries law

The authors of The Conduct of Public Inquiries: Law, Policy and Practice and The Law of Climate Change in Canada are the joint winners of the 2011 Walter Owen Book Prize in recognition of outstanding new contributions to Canadian legal literature.

The Law of Climate Change in Canada, covering domestic and international laws and initiatives addressing climate change in Canada, was co-authored by a group of 28 leading lawyers and academics. It was conceived and developed by Dennis Mahony of Torys LLP, who is also the book's editor and lead author.

Mr. Mahony is one of Canada's most highly regarded environmental lawyers. He heads Torys' Environmental, Health and Safety Group, and co-chairs its Climate Change and Emissions Trading Practice. He is a former editor-in-chief of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law Review and an adjunct professor at the Law School. He is also a past Chair of the Canadian Bar Association's National Environment, Energy and Resources Law section.

View full press release
View details of The Law of Climate Change in Canada

 Vancouver native Kai Sheffield wins CBA 2011 Law School Essay Contest David Estrin Prize

View press release
View paper (with CBA membership number)

Member Resources (with CBA membership number)