Kathy Beckett
Member
Steptoe & Johnson PLLC
Twenty-five years of experience practicing environmental, regulatory, and natural
resources law have enabled Kathy Beckett to develop a national reputation for her
ability to influence environmental policies on behalf of her clients. She has been
instrumental in the development of national and state regulatory programs and the
drafting of environmental legislation. Ms. Beckett is active in many industry trade
groups and serves on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and
is a past chair of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce Environmental Committee.
She has also served in a leadership capacity with the American Bar Association
Section of Environment, Energy and Resources. Realizing that practicing environmental
law is more than civil litigation, Ms. Beckett also has experience in the Homeland
Security and Emergency Response sectors.
Armando F. Benincasa
Member
Steptoe & Johnson PLLC
Armando Benincasa concentrates his practice in the areas of energy law, environmental
law, environmental litigation, administrative law, government affairs, and lobbying.
His practice consists of cases involving permitting and regulatory requirements
for natural resources, including coal, oil, and gas, solid waste, water resources,
underground storage tanks, voluntary remediation, and the drafting of rules and
statutes related to the environment. He has extensive experience in governmental
matters, as well as in representing energy companies before state agencies and
the West Virginia Legislature.
Steve Clemmer
Director of Energy Research & Analysis
Climate and Energy Program
Union of Concerned Scientists
As director of energy research for the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Climate and
Energy program, Steve Clemmer conducts research on the economic and environmental
benefits of implementing renewable energy technologies and policies at the state
and national levels. He also directs UCS research on coal, natural gas, and nuclear
power, and on solutions to reduce carbon emissions and water use in the electricity
sector. He also served on the steering committee of the National Wind Coordinating
Collaborative.
Before joining UCS, Mr. Clemmer was the energy policy coordinator for the Wisconsin
Energy Office.
Mr. Clemmer holds an M.S. in energy analysis and policy from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison, and a B.A. in political science and history from Gustavus Adolphus
College in Minnesota.
Mr. Clemmer has written numerous reports and journal articles on the economic
and environmental benefits of increasing renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Mr. Clemmer has been quoted widely, including by the Associated Press, Chicago
Tribune, The Guardian, Miami Herald, The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle,
The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. He has also appeared as a guest
on numerous radio and television programs.
Kim Diana Connolly
Professor of Law
SUNY Buffalo Law School
Kim Diana Connolly’s areas of scholarly interest include natural resources and
environmental law, particularly wetlands law and policy and other Clean Water Act
matters. Her scholarly works have appeared in Environmental Law Reporter, Georgetown
International Environmental Law Review, Catholic University Law Review, Wyoming
Law Journal, Washington University Journal of Law and Policy, Vermont Journal of
Environmental Law and Southeastern Environmental Law Journal. Connolly co-edited
the book ABA Wetlands Law and Policy: Understanding Section 404 (American Bar Association,
2005) and has had chapters about wetlands law in other books. She is currently
editing a book on wetlands law entitled Beyond Jurisdiction: Essential Wetlands
Law and Policy Questions for Our Time and co-editing a book entitled The Big Thaw:
Policy, Governance and Climate Change in the Circumpolar North.
Connolly also is committed to clinical legal education. She served as president
of the national Clinical Legal Education Association in 2009 and served on CLEA’s
Executive Committee. Professor Connolly runs the national environmental clinicians
listserv. She has published short articles in this area, and has been directing
SUNY Buffalo Law’s Clinical Legal Education Program since 2010. She also directs
the Environmental Law and Policy Clinic. In addition, Professor Connolly recently
founded and directs the SUNY Buffalo Animal Law Pro Bono Project.
Before joining the law faculty at SUNY Buffalo, Connolly taught at the University
of South Carolina School of Law, where she was associated faculty at the School
of the Environment. Prior to her teaching career, she practiced law with a number
of Washington, D.C., law firms, most recently Hunton and Williams. She received
her J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center and her LL.M.
with highest honors from George Washington University Law School. Connolly did
her undergraduate work in chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill, and served as a VISTA volunteer working on water access and waste disposal
in low-income communities between college and law school.
Joseph W. Dellapenna
Professor of Law
Villanova University School of Law
Professor Dellapenna’s scholarly interests focus on water management and on international
and comparative law. His books include: Waters and Water Rights (2013) (co-author);
The Evolution of the Law and Politics of Water (2009) (editor and contributor);
Dispelling the Myths of Abortion History (2006); Interstate Water Allocation in
Alabama, Florida, and Georgia: New Issues, New Methods, New Models (2006) (co-author);
Suing Foreign Governments and Their Corporations (2nd ed. 2002; 1st ed. 1988);
Water Rights in the Eastern United States (1998) (co-author); Natural Resources
Law Manual (1997) (co-author); and Abortion and the Constitution (1987) (co-author);
and Water in the Middle East: Conflict or Coopation (1984) (co-author). Waters
and Water Rights is the standard reference work on water law in the United States.
Professor Dellapenna also has written many scholarly articles on a broad range
of constitutional, environmental and international subjects, and he has made public
presentations at numerous national and international meetings.
Professor Dellapenna has taught and held positions at several universities both
here and abroad. He is the only person ever to be a Fulbright Senior Lecturer in
Law in both the People’s Republic of China (at Jilin University, 1987-88) and the
Republic of China (Taiwan) (at National Chengchi University, 1978-79). He was also
a Fulbright Senior Researcher in Law at the Directory-General of Natural Resources,
Republic of Portugal (1990). Professor Dellapenna has lectured widely at other
foreign universities, and was previously a member of the faculty at Willamette
University College of Law and at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. He
has been a member of the faculty at Villanova University since 1976.
Professor Dellapenna was the Rapporteur for the Water Resources Committee of the
International Law Association and led the drafting of the Berlin Rules on Water
Resources (2004) to replace the Helsinki Rules on the Uses of International Rivers.
He has been an active member since 1992 of the Task Committee of the American Society
of Civil Engineers (ASCE) for drafting two Model Water Codes and chaired the working
group that drafted the Regulated Riparian Model Water Code. He ascended in 1995
to the chair of the Water Regulatory Standards Committee of ASCE to direct completion
of two Model Water Codes and the follow up standards, and also supervised the working
group that drafted the Standard Guidelines on Shared Use of Transboundary Waters.
He has also represented persons and groups in water litigation and consulted with
governmental and private bodies on drafting water laws and regulations.
Professor Dellapenna is also an expert on transitional litigation in the United
States, and has worked as attorney, consultant, and expert witness in many such
cases. His book, Suing Foreign Governments and Their Corporations has been described
by one book reviewer as the “bible” for litigation under the Foreign Sovereign
Immunities Act of 1976. The book was cited by both Justice Souter (writing for
the majority) and Justice Stevens (writing in dissent) in Saudi Arabia v. Nelson,
507 U.S. 349 (1993) as authoritative for the interpretation of the Act. A second
edition of this book was published in 2002. In addition, he has chaired the Committee
on International Litigation from 1993-1995, the Committee on Chinese Law from 1995-1999,
and the Committee on International Environmental Law (2006-2009), all under the
aegis of the Section of International Law and Practice of the American Bar Association.
He has also been the chair of the Law of the Pacific Region Interest Group of the
American Society of International Law (1993-2002).
Professor Dellapenna has served as consultant to numerous private parties and
foreign governments, including to the World Bank, the Water Sector of the National
Assessment of the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change of the
United States Government, to the Water Commission of the World Humanities Action
Trust, Joint Management of Shared Aquifers Project of the Palestine Consultancy
Group and of the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace
of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Amar Foundation, the Associates for
Middle East Research, Inc., the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of China.
Among the honors he has received, he is an elected member of the American Law Institute
and the American Bar Foundation.
Joshua P. Fershee
Professor of Law
West Virginia University College of Law
Professor Joshua Fershee joined the faculty at West Virginia University College
of Law in fall 2012. His research and scholarship focus primarily on energy law
and corporate law issues. Recent articles have discussed renewable energy programs
in the transportation and electricity sectors, climate policy, geothermal energy,
and corporate governance. His courses include Business Organizations, Energy Law
& Policy, and The Energy Business: Law & Strategy. He was also a co-editor
of the Business Law Prof Blog and a contributor to the Agricultural Law Blog.
Professor Fershee received his J.D. magna cum laude from Tulane Law School, where
he was elected Order of the Coif and editor-in-chief of the Tulane Law Review.
He is also a graduate of Michigan State University, where he received a B.A. in
Social Science, with a focus on economics, psychology, and sociology. Before joining
WVU, Professor Fershee served as Associate Professor of Law and Associate Dean
for Academic Affairs & Research at the University of North Dakota School of
Law. Prior to that, he served as a visiting assistant professor of law at Penn
State University’s Dickinson School of Law in State College, PA.
Professor Fershee began his legal career with Davis Polk & Wardwell, New York,
NY, where he represented clients in corporate and litigation matters including
mergers and acquisitions, derivatives transactions, and securities regulation.
He then joined the energy practice group at Hogan & Hartson, LLP, Washington,
D.C., where he represented energy clients in matters before state and federal regulators,
analyzed state and federal legislation, and advised clients on mergers and acquisitions,
climate change issues, and renewable portfolio standards.
Before his legal career, Professor Fershee worked for a Washington, D.C.-based
trade association comprised of video and computer game companies where he coordinated
the media relations program and conducted intellectual property and anti-piracy
training sessions for law enforcement officials (e.g., U.S. Customs and FBI), media,
and other key audiences. He then served as a public relations professional in the
entertainment technology industry specializing in strategic planning, brand management,
and crisis communications with two Los Angeles public relations agencies.
Jan Goldman-Carter
Wetlands and Water Resources Counsel
National Wildlife Federation
National Advocacy Center
Jan Goldman-Carter served as NWF Wetlands and Water Resources Counsel from 1987-1991
and returned in 2006 to manage the NWF campaign to restore Clean Water Act protections.
As an environmental lawyer, she’s worked on wetlands issues across the country
and in 1993 received the Environmental Protection Agency-Environmental Law Institute
National Wetlands Award. Jan also served as a wetlands specialist with the EPA,
Corps of Engineers, and Fish and Wildlife Service.
In her spare time she enjoys canoeing, kayaking, birding and otherwise being in,
on, and near the water.
John M.S. King
Environmental Resources Analyst
Office of Environmental Advocate
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
John M.S. King is an Environmental Resource Analyst with West Virginia Department
of Environmental Protection’s (WVDEP) Office of Environmental Advocate. In 2010,
WVDEP created two new positions within the advocate office due to an increased
public interest and awareness of environmental issues. John serves the northern
region of the state and provides special assistance to communities and individuals
who need help resolving environmental issues or finding pertinent information.
The advocate office touches all aspects of WVDEP and must stay attuned to regulatory
changes and current events. In order to track such a wide array of important issues,
John is developing an innovative visual aid for enhanced communication that utilizes
Google mapping software and crowdsourcing techniques. Using free online mapping
tools, John helps stakeholders visualize “what & where,” which ultimately contributes
to a greater level of understanding and stakeholder collaboration. John graduated
from Marshall University in 2002 with a B.A. in Criminal Justice and earned a M.S.
in Physical Science in 2007. While working towards his graduate degree, he was
accepted into the Governor’s Internship Program and began working with WVDEP’s
Watershed Assessment Branch in 2004. He officially joined WVDEP in 2006 as an Environmental
Resource Specialist in the Public Information Office with the Youth Environmental
Program. In 2008 he transferred to the Environmental Enforcement section within
the Division of Water and Waste Management. As an Environmental Inspector, John
helped citizens resolve complaints, provided permittees with compliance assistance
and enforced NPDES permit terms and conditions in Wood and Wirt Counties. John
is also a member of WVDEP’s Dive Team and is proficient in underwater sampling,
monitoring, and investigations. He is a founding member of the Morris Creek Watershed
Association (MCWA) located in the Upper Kanawha Valley and credits the organization’s
volunteer efforts as sole inspiration for choosing to work in the environmental
field. John enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife Jennifer and amazing 19
month old daughter Caroline.
Amy Mall
Senior Policy Analyst, Land &
Wildlife Program Natural Resources Defense Council
Amy Mall is an NRDC senior policy analyst. Her expertise is in policies that protect
natural resources and the environment from irresponsible industrial development.
Amy’s work currently focuses on protecting the environment, sensitive lands, and
communities from harmful oil and gas exploration and production operations. Previously
she worked to conserve national forest wildlands and wildlife habitat. Before joining
NRDC’s land and wildlife program in 2001, Amy worked in the private sector and
in county, state, and federal government, including the White House National Economic
Council and the U.S. Senate. Her publications include Drilling Down: Protecting
Western Communities from the Health and Environmental Effects of Oil and Gas Production
and Safe at Home: Making the Federal Fire Safety Budget Work for Communities. She
is a graduate of Cornell and Harvard Universities, with a master’s degree in public
policy.
James R. May
Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Environmental Law Center Widener University School of Law
Phillip Musegass
Legal Director
Potomac Riverkeeper Network
Prior to joining Potomac Riverkeeper Network, Phillip was the Hudson River Program
Director at Riverkeeper in New York for nearly ten years, leading efforts to reduce
sewage pollution, clean up historic industrial sites and bring enforcement actions
to protect the Hudson River. During his tenure as Director, Hudson Riverkeeper
brought successful actions against dozens of polluters, including ExxonMobil for
its historic Greenpoint oil spill and numerous concrete companies, scrapyards and
other waterfront sites whose operations violated the Clean Water Act. Phillip also
worked to ensure passage of a New York state law requiring public notification
of sewage discharges, and served as a citizen advisor on two task forces convened
by Mayor Bloomberg to address climate resiliency challenges in New York City in
the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
Phillip received a J.D. with honors from Pace University School of Law, and a B.A.
(magna cum laude) in Geography from the University of Washington.
Kristy A. Niehaus Bulleit
Partner
Hunton & Williams LLP
Kristy’s practice focuses on national and state level environmental law issues,
with particular emphasis on administrative, legislative, enforcement defense and
counseling matters under the Clean Water Act (CWA). She is admitted to the United
States Supreme Court and the Unites States Court of Appeals for the Second, Fourth,
Sixth and Ninth Circuits, and District of Columbia.
Alison Peck
Professor of Law
WVU College of Law
Alison Peck teaches and writes in the area of sustainable development, including
environmental and trade law, with special focus on agriculture and food law. Professor
Peck practiced international arbitration and commercial litigation with Boies,
Schiller & Flexner LLP in Washington, D.C. She clerked for Judge Jon O. Newman
of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Judge G. Federico Mancini
of the Court of Justice for the European Communities. She received a J.D. from
Yale Law School and an LL.M. in Agricultural Law from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.
Sujoy Roy, PH.D.
Principal Engineer
Research & Development
Tetra Tech, Inc.
Dr. Sujoy B. Roy is a Director of Tetra Tech Inc., located in Lafayette, CA. He
holds a B. Tech. in Civil Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, New
Delhi, India, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from
Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Roy is an environmental engineer with extensive
experience studying water quality and water resources in applied research and regulatory
contexts. Dr. Roy’s particular areas of interest include the modeling and development
of management plans to address water quantity and quality concerns for drinking
water source protection and for addressing ecological impacts. In most instances,
his work is motivated by current impairment, such as the development of total maximum
daily loads or anticipation of future growth and climate change. Dr. Roy’s recent
studies have included the evaluation of water withdrawal sustainability across
the U.S. under climate change scenarios at national and regional scales, evaluating
sea level rise effects on salt water intrusion in the California Delta, and operations
modeling of water supply systems under climate change scenarios. He served on National
Academy of Sciences panels on Missouri River Basin restoration and on Clean Water
Act Implementation across the Mississippi Basin. Dr. Roy serves as a member of
the EPA Science Advisory Board.
John R. Weinberger
Public Policy Consultant
John Weinberger is an attorney and policy analyst with expertise in national and
international energy policy and legislative advocacy. He has held has held senior
policy positions in the U.S. Senate, Illinois General Assembly and the Chicago
Board of Education. In addition to his government and legal background, John recently
completed a master’s degree in public policy at the University of Chicago with
a concentration on energy policy (MPP), and a master’s degree in international
energy and environmental policy (MIPP) from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced
International Studies.
Robert Wood
Director of the Engineering and Analysis Division
U.S. EPA’s Office of Water
Rob Wood is Director of the Engineering and Analysis Division in U.S. EPA’s Office
of Water where he is responsible for the review and revision of national effluent
limitations guidelines and standards under the Clean Water Act. He was appointed
to this position in November 2012. Previously, Rob served as acting deputy director
of EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program Office where he helped to establish the landmark
TMDL for the Chesapeake Bay; acting deputy director of the Office of Wetlands,
Oceans and Watersheds; and deputy director of EPA’s Wetlands Division. Rob received
a Master’s Degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia
in 1987 and Bachelor’s Degree with majors in Economics and Geography from Mary
Washington College in 1984.
In his 28-year career at EPA Mr. Wood has held numerous management positions including
six years as chief of the State/Regional Branch in the wastewater permitting program
where he was in charge of the water quality-based permitting, permit issuance process,
permit writer training, and data management programs. He has been instrumental
in developing EPA technical guidance, policy and regulations including EPA’s regulations
on water quality-based permitting, watershed planning, water quality standards,
and the Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System
Paul F. Ziemkiewicz, PH.D.
Director
West Virginia Water Research Institute
Paul Ziemkiewicz is the Director of the West Virginia Water Research Institute
(WVWRI). The WVWRI has a staff of thirteen and works with the faculty of WVU and
other universities to manage programs that range from local, regional, national,
to international in scope. Major programs include mine drainage, watershed management,
biofuels, industrial site restoration and treatment of drilling brines.
Dr. Ziemkiewicz’s responsibilities focus on addressing high priority environmental
issues by developing research opportunities, assembling and managing research teams
and responding to the needs of sponsors. In addition to his research roles, Dr.
Ziemkiewicz serves on both state and federal policy advisory committees focusing
on energy and water. Dr. Ziemkiewicz is a member of the West Virginia Acid Mine
Drainage Task Force, the Eastern Mine Drainage Federal Consortium, the West Virginia
Special Reclamation Trust Fund Advisory Council and the Ohio River Basin Water
Availability and Management Work Group.
Dr. Ziemkiewicz received the E.M. Watkin Award in 1985 for Outstanding Contribution
to the Betterment of Land Reclamation in Canada, presented by the Canadian Reclamation
Association. In 2005 he received the Environmental Conservation Distinguished Service
Award, presented by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration.
He holds a Bachelor’s in Biology and a Master’s in Range Ecology from Utah State
University, and Doctorate in Forest Ecology from the University of British Columbia.