The New York Environmental Lawyer a Publication of the Environmental & Energy Law Section of the New York State Bar Association
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NYSBA FALL 2017 | VOL. 37 | NO. 2 The New York Environmental Lawyer A publication of the Environmental & Energy Law Section of the New York State Bar Association Inside n Taking on Climate Change n A sbestos: Miraculous but Deadly n Pot Industry Lacks Pesticide Guidance n PCB Dredging: Lessons Learned Image credits: NASA The area covered by Arctic sea ice at least four years old has decreased from 718,000 square miles (1,860,000 square kilometers) in September 1984, at top, to 42,000 square miles (110,000 square kilometers) in September 2016, at bottom. Section Officers THE NEW YORK Chair Kevin M. Bernstein ENVIRONMENTAL LAWYER Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC Editor-in-Chief One Lincoln Center Miriam E. Villani Syracuse, NY 13202-1325 Sahn Ward Coschignano, PLLC [email protected] 333 Earle Ovington Blvd., Suite 601 Uniondale, NY 11553 Vice-Chair [email protected] Marla E. Wieder Issue Editors Assistant Regional Counsel U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region II Justin M. Birzon 290 Broadway, 17th Floor Associate Counsel New York, NY 1007-1823 New York State Assembly [email protected] Room 513—Capitol Albany, NY 12248 Treasurer [email protected] Howard M. Tollin Prof. Keith Hirokawa Sterling Environmental Services Albany Law School 135 Crossways Park Drive, Third Floor 80 New Scotland Ave. Woodbury, NY 11797 Albany, NY 12208 [email protected] [email protected] Secretary Aaron Gershonowitz Nicholas M. Ward-Willis Forchelli Curto Keane & Beane, PC 333 Earle Ovington Boulevard 445 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 1500 Uniondale, NY 11553 White Plains, NY 10601 [email protected] [email protected] Publication—Editorial Policy—Subscriptions Law Student Editorial Board Albany Law School and St. John’s University School of Law Persons interested in writing for this Journal are wel comed and encouraged to submit their articles for con sid er ation. Your ideas The Student Editor for Contributing Members: and comments about the Journal are ap pre ci at ed. this issue of The New York Catherine Duggan Environmental Lawyer is Christopher Cappocia Publication Policy: All articles should be submitted to me Linnea Riegel Killala Kite and must include a cover letter giving permission for publica- Mary-Jane Morley tion in this Journal. We will assume your submission is for the Jay Oddi exclusive use of this Journal unless you advise to the con trary Rebecca Wager in your letter. If an article has been printed elsewhere, please Justin Reyes ensure that the Journal has the appropriate permission to reprint Jennifer Wjodarczyk the article. Authors will be notified only if articles are rejected. Daniel Lei Authors are encouraged to include a brief biography. Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities: For ease of publication, articles should be e-mailed or submitted NYSBA welcomes participation by individuals with disabilities. on a CD, preferably in Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. Please NYSBA is committed to complying with all applicable laws spell-check and grammar-check submissions. that prohibit discrimination against individuals on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of its goods, services, Editorial Policy: The articles in this Journal rep re sent the programs, activities, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accom- authors’ viewpoints and research and not that of the Journal Editorial Staff or Section Officers. The accuracy of the sources modations. To request auxiliary aids or services or if you have used and the cases cited in submissions is the re spon si bil i ty of any questions regarding accessibility, please contact the Bar the author. Center at (518) 463-3200. Non-Mem ber Subscriptions: The New York Environmental Law- This publication is published for members of the En vi ron men tal yer is available by sub scrip tion to law libraries. The sub scrip- & Energy Law Section of the New York State Bar As so ci a tion. tion rate for 2017 is $155.00. For further information contact the Members of the Section receive a sub scrip tion to the publication Newsletter Dept. at the Bar Center, (518) 463-3200. without charge. The views expressed in articles in this publica- tion rep re sent only the authors’ view points and not necessarily Publication Submission Deadlines: On or before the 1st of the views of the Editor or the Environmental & Energy Law March, June, September and December each year. Section. Copyright 2017 by the New York State Bar As so ci a tion Miriam E. Villani, Editor-in-Chief ISSN 1088-9752 (print) ISSN 1933-8538 (online) 2 NYSBA The New York Environmental Lawyer | Fall 2017 | Vol. 37 | No. 2 Table of Contents Page Message from the Chair ................................................................................................................................................................4 Kevin Bernstein Message from the Editor-in-Chief ...............................................................................................................................................7 Miriam E. Villani Message from the Student Editorial Board ................................................................................................................................8 Linnea E. Riegel Section News Comments on the NYSDEC Proposed Amendments to 6 N.Y.C.R.R. Part 617 SEQRA Implementing Regulations ................................................................................................................................18 Letter to President Trump on Paris Agreement ...................................................................................................................22 Virginia Robbins Receives Prestigious Feinstone Award ...................................................................................................24 New York State Bar Association Environmental & Energy Law Section Report and Recommendations Concerning Environmental Aspects of the N.Y. State Constitution ................................25 Photos from Forum and Luncheon: Phaneuf, Nasca, Cozzy Receive Section Awards .............................................48-49 Photos from the Fall 2017 Meeting in Saratoga Springs .....................................................................................................95 Feature Articles Global Climate Change Blog Carl R. Howard Developments in Climate Change: The IPCC Reports ..................................................................................................9 Record Warmth and Polar Ice Melt ................................................................................................................................ 11 The Need to Move from Carbon-Based Energy to Non-Carbon-Based Energy .........................................................................................................................................14 Five-Year Review: Evolving Environmental Law and Advice to “Green” Lawyers ......................................................38 Alexis Saba Asbestos: The Miraculous but Deadly Mineral ...................................................................................................................46 Walter Mugdan Whatever the Political Climate May Be, Corporate America Is Stepping Up to the Challenge of Climate Change ...............................................................................................................................50 J. Kevin Healy and Brian M. Jacobson Lessons Learned from Legacy Contaminants of Emerging Concern: Hudson River PCB Dredging ..........................58 Robert A. Michaels and Uriel M. Oko Legal Pot Industry Bugged by Lack of Pesticide Guidance ..............................................................................................75 Telisport W. Putsavage Administrative Decisions Update .........................................................................................................................................79 Prepared by Robert A. Stout Jr. Recent Decisions and Legislation in Environmental Law ..................................................................................................81 Student Editorial Board NYSBA The New York Environmental Lawyer | Fall 2017 | Vol. 37 | No. 2 3 Message from the Chair As the Environmental affects us all, and not just in the enforcement arena. This and Energy Law Section’s impacts the continuing and proper functioning of the newest Chair, I want to regulatory community (i.e. permit issuance, compliance take this opportunity review, etc.). to thank our outgoing Chair, Larry Schnapf, for In his Winter/Spring 2017 Message from the Chair, his exemplary leadership Larry outlined the Trump Administration’s strategy re- in guiding our Section garding regulations and identified environmental regula- through this time of ever tions targeted for delay, many of which are still in limbo shifting unpredictability. today. Some of the more significant regulations that have Larry’s tireless enthusiasm been withdrawn, put on hold, or called for review by the for CLE opportunities, Administration include: rebranding our Section, • Waters of the United States’ Rule (proposed rule creative activities during extension of comment period issued August 22); our Fall meeting (consis- tent with his love of baseball) and unceasing interest in • Accidental Release Prevention Requirements/Risk talking about anything to do with the Kennedy assassina- Management Program (delayed until February 19, tion has made him champion of the Section. His multiple 2019); emails each day to the cabinet will actually be missed, • Certification