September 15, 2010

The National Environmental Policy Act 40th Anniversary Celebration

Co-sponsored by:
The Environmental Law Institute
The Partnership Project

This celebration was hosted by the Environmental Law Institute and the Partnership Project to commemorate the 40th anniversary of NEPA. The celebration include da symposium, a reception, and the release of NEPA Success Stories: Celebrating 40 Years of Transparency and Open Government. The symposium, reception, and publication are all made possible with the generous support of the 444S Foundation, the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, and the Wilburforce Foundation.

Symposium: 3:30 - 5:15 PM

The symposium featured government officials and members of the public who discussed the contribution NEPA has made to good decisionmaking by utilizing the collective wisdom of our democracy. NEPA established the process by which public officials make decisions that are based on an understanding of environmental consequences. Through NEPA, agencies, tribes, local governments, companies, and countless citizens have participated in and contributed to these deliberations. The symposium includeed presentations on NEPA successes and lessons learned, and discussion of ways to improve public involvement in government decisions through better use of technology, enhanced involvement by local communities in the planning process, and other ideas.

Panelists:
Jim McElfish, Staff Attorney and Director, Sustainable Use of Land Program, Environmental Law Institute (Moderator)
Dinah Bear, Attorney at Law, Washington, D.C. (former General Counsel to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ))
Carol Borgstrom, Director of the Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance, U.S. Department of Energy
Sam Kalen, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Wyoming; Of Coursel, Van Ness Feldman
Mary O'Brien, Utah Forests Project Manager, Grand Canyon Trust
Nicholas Yost, Partner, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP

Symposium mp3 recording

Reception: 5:30 - 7:30 PM

The reception was a celebratory event to review NEPA’s transformative influence on environmental awareness and citizen participation in government decisionmaking. The event recognized the leaders who created NEPA, revisited the historic contribution they made, and acknowledged the continued importance of NEPA in protecting the environment and ensuring sound government decisionmaking informed by the public. Participants included members of Congress and Congressional staff, representatives from the President’s Council on Environmental Quality, and many others central to NEPA’s success.

Reception mp3 recording

Speakers:
Representative John D. Dingell (D-MI), Chairman Emeritus of the Committee on Energy and Commerce
Nancy Sutley, Chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality
Russell Train, Founder Chair Emeritus, World Wildlife Fund

Additional Materials:
Carol Borgstrom's Presentation
NEPA Success Stories: Celebrating 40 Years of Transparency and Open Government