Aspen Vice President Susan Lee Participates in Recent Energy Conferences

Aspen continues to share its knowledge and expertise with policy makers, energy developers, and the scientific community. In October 2013, Aspen Vice President Susan Lee was invited to be a panelist at the First Annual Emerging Issues in Environmental Law Policy and Practice Symposium Presented By The University Of California, Irvine School Of Law, in a discussion entitled “The Collision of Energy Development and Environmental Laws.” Susan’s panel focused on Significant CEQA and NEPA Issues Raised By Green Energy Projects. Other panel members represented the Center for Biological Diversity and the law firm of Sheppard Mullin. Susan’s presentation summarized the basics of current utility-scale solar generation technology, the lead agencies for evaluation of renewable energy projects under CEQA and NEPA, the evolution of solar projects by size and location in California, and a summary of the potential environmental impacts of solar and wind projects.

Susan also attended the Fifth Annual Transmission Summit West in September 2013 in San Diego. Speakers at this conference addressed compliance with FERC Order 1000, the challenges of integrating renewable energy, the federal process for reviewing transmission line siting and routing, and case studies (including the Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Line).