October 24 | at Garvey Schubert Barer, 1191 Second Avenue 6th Floor, Seattle. This was a follow-up to last year’s sold out breakfast on the Waste-to-Energy concept.
Speakers included:
- Scott DuBoff (Garvey Schubert Barer) from Washington, DC;
- Philipp Schmidt-Pathmann (Zero Landfill Alliance and WRSI Consulting);
- Grace Reamer (King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert);
- Dr. Helmut Schnurer (German Federal Ministry for the Environment) speaking from Bonn, Germany;
- Jeremy O’Brien (Solid Waste Association of North America) speaking from Charlotte, NC; and
- The panel was moderated by Martin Westerman (Zero Landfill Alliance).
- Martin Westerman (Moderator) is Co-Founder, Zero Landfill Alliance and a lecturer, author, editor and advisor on clean technology and green business. His books include The Business Environmental Handbook, Easy Green, the Europe From A Backpack series, and others. He has also written numerous articles, lectured on communications, and green business for the UW’s Foster Business School.
- Jeremy K. O’Brien, PE is a solid waste management researcher and consultant who has over 30 years of experience. Since 1999, he has served as the Director of Applied Research for the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) and has continued to provide consulting services to local governments as an independent solid waste management consultant. From 1989-99, Mr. O’Brien was employed by HDR–a global architectural, engineering and consulting firm with over 7,800 employees in 180 offices through the U.S. From 1979-1989, Mr. O’Brien worked for Public Technology Institute–a local government research organization which serves as the technical arm of the National League of Cities and the International City Management Association. Mr. O’Brien received an M.S. degree in Urban and Environmental Engineering as well as a B.A. in liberal arts from Duke. Find Jeremy’s presentation here.
- Scott DuBoff is a member of the law firm of Garvey Schubert Barer and is based in Washington, D.C. Scott’s practice is concentrated in environmental, solid and hazardous waste, and related energy matters. He represents local government and corporate clients before federal and state administrative agencies and trial and appellate courts and Congress. His practice encompasses waste-to-energy (WTE), air quality permitting, solid and hazardous waste, Superfund), surface and groundwater protection, and environmental planning matters on behalf of municipal government agencies, utilities, independent power producers, and oil production and refining companies. Scott’s WTE work involves many facets of the Clean Air Act’s New Source Review Program, both Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and Non-attainment New Source Review, state solid waste laws, human health and ecological risk assessment, site selection and alternatives analysis as well as other related regulatory requirements. Scott is the author or co-author of numerous publications and a frequent speaker on environmental, energy and waste management topics. Find Scott’s presentation here.
- Philipp Schmidt-Pathman is Executive Director & Co-Founder, Zero Landfill Alliance and is CEO & Founder, WRSI Consulting Group. He is an internationally recognized authority and consultant on waste management and resource recovery. The founder of three start-up resource recovery-clean energy companies, he focuses on creating alternatives to landfilling, developing renewable energy-from-waste projects, and recovering valuable resources. He has made hundreds of presentations nationwide on the advantages of creating jobs, generating revenues, developing distributed energy and district heating and cooling, and eliminating greenhouse gas emissions through the use of advanced waste to energy-resource recovery technologies. He has been instrumental in developing collaborative partnerships with organizations, lobbyists, environmental groups, and government leaders at every level. His expert WRSI team won the 2011 bid for the City of Los Angeles’ waste to energy-resource recovery plant from a field of more than 200 competitors. He has most recently co-founded the Zero Landfill Alliance to do cutting-edge research and advocacy and help public and private sector leaders make well-informed choices that support environmentally-smart solutions to solid waste management.
- Dr. Helmut Schnurer was Deputy Director General, head of the Directorate of Waste Management and Soil Protection at the German Federal Ministry for the Environment in Bonn, Germany from 1985 until 2005. He has been an Advisor in EU-Twinning projects in Malta, Czech Republic, Lithuania, and Bulgaria, a member of OECD-delegations in Environmental Performance Reviews of China and Japan, and an Advisor in bilateral projects in Malta, Poland, Russia, Italy, and the USA. From 1970 until 2005, Dr. Schnurer served in several positions at German Federal Ministry for the Interior. He spent five years in research in nuclear safety at University Institute Munich. He has a Doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering from Technical University Munich and a Degree in Electrical Engineering from Technical University Munich. Find Helmut’s presentation here.
- Grace Reamer, Legislative Aid to King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert. Grace has focused on providing policy support to Councilmember Lambert since 2006. Councilmember Lambert is a member of the Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee; the Government Accountability, Oversight and Financial Performance Committee; and the Regional Policy Committee. Grace has a degree from Western Washington University. Find Grace’s presentation here.