Role of Localities and the Public in Shaping Drilling's Future

Seminar: There is significant focus on creating best practices and regulatory approaches to address the potential impacts of shale gas development. But the impacts on communities are not easily amenable to such regulation. These impacts may be best addressed by localities, which have traditionally had primacy in the land use arena. In some states, local governments have significant say over whether and how shale drilling takes place; in others, localities have little to none.

This panel will examine the existing role of local governments, and search for likely trends in various jurisdictions, including:

• Active litigation over the scope of local jurisdiction

• Practical implications of local regulation

• Legal issues regarding pre-emption, takings, and zoning

• Role of local citizen activism in shaping gas development

THE SERIES

This program is the fourth in a 5-part series, Environmental Impacts of Shale Development and Hydraulic Fracturing: Key Legal Issues and Future Directions, that offers an in-depth examination of the environmental law and policy issues facing companies, governments, activist groups, and citizens who are concerned about this critical area of our nation’s energy infrastructure. Each program is taught by the nation’s foremost experts, and will present a balance of perspectives on the legal and policy issues, as well as upcoming trends that may accelerate or slow the dramatic expansion in shale development in an environmentally responsible way. Note that you do not have to participate in the entire series to benefit from the information provided in each individual program. Part five of the series, Litigation Environment for Drilling and Hydraulic Fracturing, will be on January 23.

Moderator: Kate Sinding, Senior Attorney and Deputy Director, New York Urban Program, Natural Resources Defense Council, New York

Faculty:

• Deborah Goldberg, Managing Attorney, Earthjustice, New York

• John B. McFarland, Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody, Austin, Texas

• Jordan B. Yeager, Curtin & Heefner LLP, Doylestown, PA