Sponsored By:
Berkeley Law Center for Law, Energy & the Environment
Farella Braun + Martel LLP
The Environmental Law Institute
The permitting process for the first wave of utility scale solar and wind projects in California has proven to be long, complex, and often contentious. But the challenges don't end after approval. For these first projects, the construction phase has presented its own difficulties - ensuring compliance with the environmental requirements of multiple public agencies as hundreds of workers build some of the largest renewable energy projects in the world under the watchful eyes of the public, environmental organizations and the media.
This panel discussed the challenges of responding to changing on-the-ground conditions, addressing unanticipated impacts, and maintaining transparency to the public during renewable energy project construction and operation. Experts weighed in on lessons that can be applied from these first construction projects to improve future project permitting and compliance.
Speakers:
David Hochart, Compliance Manager, Dudek (moderator)
Ileene Anderson, Biologist and Public Lands Deserts Director, Center for Biological Diversity
Amanda Beck, Project Manager - Environmental, Business Development, FIRST SOLAR
Mike Sintetos, Renewable Energy Program Manager, Bureau of Land Management