LINDA SHEEHAN Executive Director, Earth Law Center P.O. Box 610044, Redwood City, CA 94061 [email protected] ▪ 510-219-7730 (cell) EDUCATION Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, J.D. 1991 First Prize, Ellis J. Harmon Environmental Law Writing Competition, “The EEC's Proposed Directive on Civil Liability for Damage Caused by Waste: Taking Over When Prevention Fails,” 18 Ecol. Law Q. 405 (1991) Associate Editor, Ecology Law Quarterly; Prosser Prize, Land Use Law Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, M.P.P. 1990 Genevieve McEnerney Fellowship; Berkeley Policy Fellow Massachusetts Institute of Technology, B.S., Chemical Engineering, 1985 Minor in Economics First Place, 1985 American Institute of Chemical Engineering, Student Chapter, New England Technical Speaking Competition: “Treatment of Heavy Metals in Battery Manufacturing Wastewater” PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Earth Law Center, Redwood City, CA Executive Director, 2011-present Takes action to advance the rights and abilities of Earth’s ecosystems and inhabitants to flourish, thrive and evolve, consistent with ELC’s mission. Responsibilities include all aspects of day-to-day operations and budget oversight, staff management, fundraising, and program initiatives. Develops and implements strategies including education, outreach, research and advocacy to advance Earth Law Center positions. Drafts and presents oral and written reports, testimony, comments and presentations. Oversees the development and implementation of communication strategies to government officials, agencies, organizations, and the general public to advance legal rights for ecosystems. Builds collaborations and partnerships in support of legal rights for ecosystems and Earth-based governance. Vermont Law School, South Royalton, VT Visiting Professor, July 2012, July 2013, July 2014, July 2015 Developed curriculum for and presented two-credit “Earth Law” course as part of Vermont Law School’s Summer Session; course was certified to meet Vermont Law School’s Ethics/Philosophy requirement. California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA Adjunct Professor, Spring 2014, Spring 2015 Developed curriculum for and presented one-credit “Earth Law” course. The course critically examined the limitations of current environmental laws, and then presented and analyzed alternative governance structures (including legal and economic) that better reflect humans’ actual integration with the natural world. California Coastkeeper Alliance, Fremont, CA Executive Director, 2004-2011 Directed statewide operations and programs of the Alliance, representing Waterkeepers spanning the California coast and into the Delta. Grew organization from five Southern California groups to 12 statewide Waterkeeper organizations. Quadrupled foundation funding base while reducing member dues 75% and expanding programs. Conducted advocacy before multiple state agencies and the Legislature in support of protecting and improving the health of California’s marine and coastal watershed ecosystems. Issues addressed included: developing a statewide network of marine protected areas; improving water pollution controls and funding; reducing oil spills; increasing water monitoring and data reporting; enhancing sustainable water supplies; augmenting waterway flows; establishing legal rights for waterways; and improving governance models overall. Successfully drafted and sponsored policy and budget bills in support of healthy waterways and ocean ecosystems. Oversaw and assisted with variety of litigation actions; managed CCKA’s Revolving Litigation Fund. Built and managed diverse coalitions to advance ocean and waterway protection goals. Ocean Conservancy, San Francisco, CA Director, Pacific Region, 2000-2004 Managed all West Coast programs, including marine ecosystem protection, fisheries management, coastal and marine water quality, ocean monitoring, invasive species control, and oil spill prevention. Supervised program staff, conducted fundraising and membership efforts, provided testimony and representation on behalf of TOC before government/media, and promoted the conservation of coastal and marine life and habitats. Pollution Programs Director, 1994-2000 Moved Program from single focus on marine debris to full range of water pollution control issues. Drafted and successfully sponsored numerous state bills to improve water quality and ocean health; conducted litigation with pro bono counsel; provided expert testimony before Congress, the state Legislature, and agencies. Heller, Ehrman, White and McAuliffe, San Francisco, CA Environmental Attorney, 1991-1994 . Provided regulatory compliance counseling on state and federal environmental law matters. Conducted litigation under a range of environmental statutes, including NEPA, CEQA, CERCLA and RCRA. Drafted and filed motions, conducted settlement negotiations, and propounded and responded to discovery. Performed due diligence reviews of real estate transactions. Temple, Barker and Sloane, Inc. (now Mercer Management Consulting), Lexington, MA Environmental Policy Consultant, 1985-1987 . Designed, managed and performed environmental policy analyses for public agency and private clients. APPOINTMENTS/AFFILIATIONS/AWARDS Admitted to State Bar of California, 1991, Bar No. 154707 Named “California Coastal Hero” by Sunset Magazine and the California Coastal Commission, 2009 Association of California Water Agencies, “Excellence in Water Leadership” Award, 2009 International Union for Conservation of Nature, World Commission on Environmental Law, Jan. 2012 - Present Research Affiliate, University of Victoria, B.C., POLIS Project on Ecological Governance, Fall 2010 - Present Mesa Refuge Writing Residency, Spring 2012 and Fall 2010 California Water Quality Monitoring Council, Public Member, 2008 – 2011 State Water Board Recycled Water Task Force, NGO Representative, 2008-2009 State Water Board Storm Water Advisory Task Force, NGO Representative, 2008 – 2009 Alameda County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), Commissioner, 2000 – 2008 U.S. Coast Guard Incident Specific Preparedness Review Team, Public Representative, Cosco Busan Oil Spill, 2007 – 08 California Oil Spill Prevention and Response Technical Advisory Committee (California Senate appt.), 2003 – 2008 California Marine Life Protection Act, Statewide Interests Group, Environmental Group Representative, 2004 – 2011 California AB 982 Public Advisory Group on Impaired Waters, Co-Chair, 2002 – 2005 National Invasive Species Advisory Committee, Member, (Department of Interior appointment), 1999 – 2004 U.S. Global Ocean Observing System Steering Committee, Vice-Chair, 2001 – 2004 CALIFORNIA BILLS DRAFTED AND/OR CO-SPONSORED (SELECTED) Signed into Law: AB 2911 (Wolk 08) – Inland oil spill program ABX1 10 (Oropeza 03) – Waste discharger fees increased AB 739 (Laird 07) – Stormwater control and use SB 923 (Sher 03) – Agricultural runoff control SB 729 (Simitian 06) – Water Board enforcement reform SB 512 (Figueroa 03) – Marine ecosystem protection SB 1070 (Kehoe 06) – Coordinated water monitoring AB 703 (Lempert 99) – Invasive species in ballast water AB 1333 (Frommer 06) – Grease waste management AB 411 (Wayne 97) – Beach testing and posting Various budget trailer bills and environmental budget items Passed by Legislature but Vetoed by Governor: SB 1001 (Perata 07) – Water Board governance reform AB 771 (Saldaña 05) – Ex parte reform at Coastal Comm’n Passed Initial Policy Committees: SB 42 (Corbett 09) – Phase-out of once-through cooling SB 1176 (Perata 08) – Regional Water Board reform PUBLICATIONS (SELECTED) “Implementing Rights of Nature through Sustainability Bills of Rights,” forthcoming, Victoria Univ. of Wellington, Faculty of Law, New Zealand, Earth Law Alliance & GAPLA Conf. on New Thinking on Sustainability “Water as the Way: Achieving Well-Being through ‘Right Relationship’ with Water,” in Wild Law in Practice, Michelle Maloney and Peter Burdon, ed. (Routledge, NY, NY, 2014) “Realizing Nature’s Rule of Law through Rights of Waterways,” in Rule of Law for Nature, Christina Voigt, ed. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2013) “Perspectives on the Clean Water Act,” in Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Forty Years after the Clean Water Act (Oct. 18, 2012) “Clean Water Act 2.0: Rights of Waterways,” HuffPost Green (Oct. 15, 2012) “Earth Day Revisited: Building a Body of Earth Law for the Next Forty Years,” in Exploring Wild Law: The Philosophy of Earth Jurisprudence, Peter Burdon, ed. (Wakefield Press, Kent Town, South Australia, 2011) “Rights of the Waterway,” Waterkeeper Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 2 (Summer 2011) “The Practice of Ecosystem Rights,” Groundswell, Vol. 3, Issue 1 (Spring 2010) “New Blue Legacy: California’s Waterkeepers are Pioneering America’s First Marine National Parks,” Waterkeeper Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 4 (Summer 2009) “The EEC's Proposed Directive on Civil Liability for Damage Caused by Waste: Taking Over When Prevention Fails,” 18 Ecol. Law Q. 405 (1991) Media pieces, and formal written comments and testimony to administrative agency and legislative bodies, on a range of issues related to environmental health and governance spanning a 20-year period; available upon request LITIGATION (SELECTED) Riverkeeper et al. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 475 F.3d 83 (2nd Cir. 2007) and Entergy Corp. v. Riverkeeper et. al, 556 U.S. __, No. 07-588 (April 1, 2009): Co-plaintiff with Waterkeeper Alliance counsel; decisions called for preventing