Major increases in domestic oil and gas production, combined with declining domestic markets for coal, have dramatically altered the debate over America's energy future. The debate over "energy independence" has been augmented--if not supplanted--by debates over climate change policy and whether we should export fossil fuels.

The Pacific Northwest--known for hydropower--has become a focal point in the clash over fossil fuels. Pacific Northwest ports are being proposed as hubs for exporting Powder River Basin coal to markets in Asia and two proposals to export LNG from sites in Oregon have generated significant public controversy. In the midst of the ongoing arguments over those proposals, a new concern has emerged: the transportation of oil by train to terminals and refineries in the Pacific Northwest. Our two-day conference will dive into the proposals to export coal and LNG from Pacific Northwest ports and the emerging controversies and regulatory initiatives surrounding oil trains and terminals.

Van Ness Feldman's Jay Derr will be speaking in a panel entitled, "Transportation of Oil By Rail:  The Challenge of Developing Public Policy to Address Random Events with Potentially Catastrophic Consequences."  Mr. Derr will be providing a "developer perspective on the potential impact of revised federal, state, and local oil train regulations on proposed export projects for the Pacific Northwest."

Speakers include leading voices participating in the energy export dialogue, including attorneys, economists, academics, and policymakers who will explore a broad range of issues including macroeconomics of domestic and foreign supply and demand, the role of Tribal, state, and local governments in the project approval process, the impact of issues surrounding rail, pipeline and maritime transportation of fossil fuels, the potential role of the public trust doctrine in shaping climate policy, and the role the NEPA will play. 

For more information on this LSI event, click here.