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The Horinko Group Newsletter: Issue 11, November 2012

Headlines

THG Fourth Annual Summit Proceedings Now Available!

Government, industry, and academic leaders weighed in last month at The Horinko Group’s Fourth Annual Summit on the challenges that surround environmental compliance and enforcement and what the next generation may look like. 

A lively discussion ensued, delving into subjects including technology and compliance, rule clarity, case selection, and innovative approaches to enforcement in light of resource scarcity. 

Proceedings from the keynote speeches, panel presentations, and discussion sessions can now be downloaded on our website.

To download the 2012 Summit Program, visit http://bit.ly/THG2012Summit.

To download the 2012 Summit Proceedings, visit http://bit.ly/THG2012SumProceedings.

Unconventional Oil and Gas Development: Key Environmental and Public Health Requirements

The U.S. Government Accountability Office recently released a report entitled, Unconventional Oil and Gas Development: Key Environmental and Public Health Requirements.  The report reviewed the environmental and public health laws that apply to unconventional oil and gas development noting key exemptions or limitations within this regulatory coverage.  It then reviewed laws and requirements in six different states and on federal land. 

The study discovered several common challenges among federal and state agencies including inspection and enforcement challenges due to limited information as well as the limited legal authority of regulatory agencies under existing laws.

To view the report in its entirety, visit http://bit.ly/GAOuoilgasEPH.

Climate Change and Social Stress: Implications for Security Analysis

At the request of the U.S. intelligence community, the National Research Council recently conducted a study to assess the impacts of climate change on social and political stresses. In an 18-month study, researchers investigated possible connections between climate and national security concerns and attempted to identify ways to better equip the intelligence community to take climate change into account in their assessments going forward.

Among many lines of research, the study focused on security risks that may arise in situations where the consequences of droughts, heat waves, or storms exceed the capacity of a country or population to cope with such an event and potentially drive migration across international borders. The study makes numerous recommendations on how to proceed given the current and not nearly well enough understood link between climate events and security outcomes.

To read the full report, visit http://bit.ly/NAPBECScssisa.

The Next Four Years of Energy and Environmental Policy

In an article entitled, The Art of the Possible in Energy and Environment Policy, National Journal’s Energy and Environment reporter Amy Harder asks whether the results of the 2012 election pave the way for Washington to achieve bipartisan energy and environment policies. 

A range of responses submitted by environmental leaders in government, think tanks, trade associations, NGOs and academia, discuss issue areas from climate change to natural gas to renewables and make a wide variety of predictions and recommendations taking into account the political challenges, opportunities and need for bipartisan cooperation.

To read the article in its entirety, visit http://bit.ly/NJEEBart.

Upcoming Events

Environmental Speaker Series Luncheon — Final 2012 Installment!
December 5, 2012 | 12:00 – 1:30 PM EDT | 2300 N St NW, Washington, DC

Speaker: Lewis D. Solomon, Rinehart Professor Emeritus of Business Law at The George Washington University Law School

Topic: P3 Possibilities for Addressing Our Nation’s Water Infrastructure Backlog

The Horinko Group’s next Environmental Speaker Series luncheon features Lewis D. Solomon, Senior Advisor to The Horinko Group on Public-Private Partnerships (P3s), Infrastructure Finance & Development.  In his luncheon presentation, Mr. Solomon will discuss opportunities where public-private ventures can advance much needed progress in the water and wastewater sector and tackle the most difficult fiscal and environmental compliant situations that many communities routinely encounter.

Mr. Solomon draws on his research regarding privatization and the P3 process in the infrastructure arena.  A prolific author, his recent book, America's Water and Waste Water Crisis: The Role of Private Enterprise, analyzes privatization, P3s, how the U.S. water and wastewater industry has operated in the past, and how it may evolve into the future.

Join us on Wednesday, December 5 at The Horinko Group’s offices in the West End of Washington, DC.  RSVP to info@thehorinkogroup.org.

2012 NGWA Groundwater Expo and Annual Meeting
December 4-7, 2012 | Las Vegas, NV | Registration
The National Groundwater Association will hold its annual meeting and expo in Las Vegas.  The event will bring together groundwater professionals from all industry segments and geographic areas and will showcase cutting-edge educational programming and exhibits with the latest equipment and technological innovations.

View the conference program and register at www.groundwaterexpo.com.

Dupont Summit 2012 at the Carnegie Institution for Science
December 7, 2012 | Washington, DC
The Dupont Summit aims to promote dialogue about pressing policy issues related to science, technology, and the environment.  This annual event will consist of a full day of presentations and discussions on topics including health, energy, national security, information and telecommunications, environment and climate change, biotechnology, genetics and stem cells, water and natural resources, science research and education, technology and innovation, space, and ethical, legal and social implications of science and technology.

Learn more and register at http://bit.ly/dupontsummit2012.

Environmental Law Institute: Scrutinizing and Supporting Green Business
November 30, 2012 | 12:00 - 1:45 PM EST | Washington, DC
This seminar addresses whether green businesses are green and if so, how policymakers can encourage such practices.  Speakers will assess the extent to which practices are more aptly categorized as green washing and discussion will identify the promotion of meaningful and verifiable sustainable business initiatives.

Learn more and register at http://bit.ly/ELIssgb.

EPA: Importance of Water to the U.S. Economy Symposium
December 4, 2012 | 1:00 - 5:00 PM EST | Washington, DC
As part of its study on the importance of water in the U.S. economy, EPA in partnership with American University, will host a public symposium with speakers from a diverse array of industries including agriculture, food and beverage, manufacturing, recreation, tourism and fishing.  EPA will release a draft report of its study on water in the U.S. economy.

Learn more about the study and symposium at http://1.usa.gov/UvDGbl.

In The Spotlight

Mentoring Environment and Energy Together, Oklahoma City

Earlier this month, The Horinko Group’s Marianne Horinko and Brendan McGinnis traveled to Oklahoma City, OK to kick-off the Mentoring Environment and Energy Together (MEET) Mentor-Protégé Program. 

The mentoring program aims to provide personal professional growth and environmental/energy education for young professionals in the greater Oklahoma City area.

Initial meetings included presentations by Ms. Horinko and Mark Stansberry, Chairman of The GTG Group on the next four years of energy, environment, and politics.  Participants also visited a Devon Energy drilling and hydraulic fracturing well site.

This effort builds on THG's release of its comprehensive white paper on the current and future environmental, regulatory, and legal issues tied to horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing.

To download the report in its entirety, visit http://bit.ly/THGHF2012

Featured Column

Excerpt From:Emergency Planning and the Energy Boom

Marianne HorinkoBy: Marianne Horinko, President, The Horinko Group
America's energy resurgence played an enormous role in the recent election cycle.  Candidates all across the nation and on the national level sparred over the need for an energy policy that created independence, reliability, and abundance for all Americans.

With typical ingenuity, American industry has responded by investing in a plethora of new energy sources.  In addition to new renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and biomass, industry has explored new ways of extracting traditional fuels such as petroleum and natural gas by using innovative drilling techniques.

As these new energy sources become poised to enjoy explosive growth, it is worth noting that with this opportunity comes potentially great peril.  It is incumbent upon both regulators and the regulated community alike to look at the lessons of the past in terms of dealing with emergencies and crises and plan ahead to avoid them in the future.

To read the remainder of the featured column, visit http://bit.ly/THGNov2012FC.

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The Horinko Group is an environmental consulting firm operating at the intersection of science, policy, and communication. The Horinko Group has become a leader in designing and applying innovative solutions to address our nation’s most pressing environmental challenges. We bring together disparate groups of stakeholders and facilitate the collaboration critical to ensure efforts are cost-effective and sustainable.

For the latest updates on the environmental issues you care about, visit us online at www.thgadvisors.org.

Contact The Horinko Group
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