October 27, 2005

Lessons from 9/11:
Environmental and Land Use Issues Raised in Response to Catastrophe

Presented by the Environmental Law Institute; the ABCNY Environmental Law, Land Use Planning & Zoning, Housing & Urban Development, and Energy Committees; and the New York State Bar Association Environmental Law Section

Speakers:
Ernest Abbott, Disaster Relief Law Specialist, FEMA Law Associates, PLLC
Veronica Eady, Senior Staff Attorney, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest
Alexander Garvin, President & CEO, Alex Garvin & Associates
Michael Gerrard, Partner, Arnold & Porter LLP
Ruth Pierpont, Director, New York State Historic Preservation Office
James Tripp, General Counsel, New York Office, Environmental Defense

Moderator: Stephen L. Kass, Carter, Ledyard & Milburn LLP

Major disasters, particularly in urban areas, raise a host of environmental and land use issues throughout the response and rebuilding process. Many environmental, land use and historic preservation laws, at the federal, state and local level, allow legal requirements to be bypassed in the emergency response to such disasters. On October 27, 2005, this program considered the environmental, land use and historic preservation issues raised in response to the destruction caused in Lower Manhattan on 9/11 as a case study that can inform future response and policy. Issues that were addressed include what “emergency” exemptions to environmental laws exist, how these exceptions operate and when they expire, whether an expedited approach to rebuilding is desirable, and the proper role of environmental and land use laws in responding to such widespread disasters.