When
Russell Senate Office Building SR 385
2 Constitution Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002
There is a bipartisan desire for federal permitting reform. While much of the attention is usually on the National Environmental Policy Act, other environmental statutes, including the Clean Water Act (CWA) are arguably far more important to reform.
The Environmental Protection Agency has retroactively and preemptively vetoed CWA dredge and fill permits. Some states have used Section 401 certification under the CWA to block projects for reasons that have nothing to do with water quality. And private property owners across the country are often faced with unreasonably severe penalties, including criminal liability, for violating the CWA without having any reasonable basis for knowing they are violating the law. These are just some of the problems that need to be addressed.
Please join the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) for a conversation on why CWA reform is so important. The event will feature keynote remarks from Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R, West Virginia), Chair on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee.
The Senator’s remarks will be followed by a panel discussion on important CWA reforms that should be part of any forthcoming Congressional permitting reform package. Panelists include Daren Bakst, director of CEI’s Center for Energy and Environment, Tony Francois, partner at Briscoe Prows Kao Ivester & Bazel, and Paige Gilliard, environment and natural resources attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation. The event will be moderated by Matthew Adams, CEI’s senior manager for government affairs and coalitions.
A light lunch and refreshments will be provided.
When: Thursday, February 26th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
Where: Russell Senate Office Building SR 385, 2 Constitution Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002
This event is part of an ongoing CEI series promoting the report, Modernizing the EPA: a Blueprint for Congress. For the purposes of congressional ethics rules, this is a widely attended event.
Senator Shelley Moore Capito was elected by the people of West Virginia to the United States Senate in 2014 and re-elected in 2020. She is the first female Senator in West Virginia’s history. She previously served West Virginia’s Second Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives for 14 years and was a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates for four years. In the 119th Congress, Senator Capito serves on the Appropriations Committee; the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee; the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee as chairman; and the Rules and Administration Committee. Senator Capito also serves as the Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy (RPC) Committee, the fourth highest position in Senate Republican leadership.
Tony Francois is a partner art Briscoe Ivester & Bazel. He is experienced in Water and Real Property Law, Land Use and Zoning, Environmental Regulation, Natural Resources Development, Agricultural Law, and Constitutional Law. He has represented homeowners, builders, farmers and ranchers, trade associations, local governments, and water districts in administrative, civil, and criminal proceedings.
Paige Gilliard is an attorney in Pacific Legal Foundation’s Environment & Natural Resources practice group. She primarily litigates cases on the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Antiquities Act. She was a member of the litigation team for Sackett v. EPA at the Supreme Court.
Daren Bakst is Director of the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Center for Energy and Environment and a Senior Fellow. In this role, he manages, develops, and leads the coalition, advocacy, and research activities of the Center, which is one of the most effective advocates for Free Market Environmentalism. He is also a Visiting Senior Fellow with the Pacific Legal Foundation.
Matthew Adams is the senior government affairs and coalitions manager at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. In this role, he directs CEI’s relationship with Congress, the White House, federal agencies, and allies. Matthew received a Bachelor of Arts in political science and history from American University in Washington, DC. Matthew is a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve.