Ecobite Episode 4: The Future of WOTUS with Fred Wagner, Partner at Venable LLP

Posted by Ecobot on Jul 12, 2023 2:34:44 PM

Fred Wagner, Partner at Venable, LLC in Washington, D.C. has been a practicing environmental lawyer for 35 years. The debate around a definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS) has persisted his entire career, and is likely to continue. The recent Sackett v. EPA introduces new uncertainty into an already fraught regulatory landscape. 

“If you've been looking for certainty over the last three or four decades over the definition of WOTUS, you've been sorely disappointed.”

Fred Wagner saw the debate over what constitutes Waters of the United States (WOTUS) begin the year he graduated law school, and he’s been at the center of his work ever since—on behalf of those trying to apply for permits under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, on behalf of the government trying to enforce, Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. He’s even written a Supreme Court Amicus brief in the second litigation dealing with the recent Sackett v. EPA case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). 

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Topics: wetlands, conservation, US Army Corps of Engineers, WOTUS, EPA, USACE, technology, Navigable Water Rule, section 404, 404, environmental permitting, wetland delineation, policy

Ecobite Episode 3: Digitized Environmental Permitting in Virginia, with Mike Roldband of Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Posted by Ecobot on Jun 6, 2023 9:17:19 AM

Mike Rolband’s environmental career has spanned more than 40 years. What started as a path in construction and real estate development eventually led to his development of one of the first mitigation banks in the country. Now, Rolband serves as Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Director of the Department of Environmental Quality.

 

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Topics: conservation, US Army Corps of Engineers, USACE, technology, environmental permitting, wetland delineation, natural resources, natural resource identification, efficiency software, mitigation banking, wetland mitigation, policy, PEEP, Department of Environmental Quality, deq, electronic permitting, Virginia

Ecobite Episode 2: The keys to impactful environmental decision-making, with EPIC's Jessie Mahr

Posted by Ecobot on May 3, 2023 9:00:00 AM

Jessie Mahr, Director of Technology at Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC), has dedicated her career to all things wetland. She believes better technology and better data are the keys to impactful environmental decision-making. 

 

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Topics: wetlands, monitoring, ecosystem, conservation, technology, mapping, drone, environmental permitting, wetland delineation, natural resources, natural resource identification, efficiency software, wetland mitigation, policy

Ecobite Episode 1: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's impact on the environmental industry, with Esri's Sunny Fleming

Posted by Ecobot on Apr 4, 2023 9:00:00 AM

Sunny Fleming is Esri’s Industry Specialist for Environment and Conservation for State and Local Government. She read the Infrastructure Bill so you don’t have to. 

Here’s her two cents on what the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is and what it means for environmental professionals and your everyday citizen.

 

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Topics: Ecobot, technology, mapping, Esri, environmental permitting, preconstruction, efficiency software, policy

Geospatial WOTUS Project Management Made Easy

Posted by Ecobot on Jun 2, 2022 9:10:00 AM

The software helping wetland scientists tighten project timelines by boosting efficiency in the field and back at the office.

This topic was covered in the 22nd episode of Ecobot's webinar series, Convergence of Wetland Science and Technology. View recorded episodes here. 

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Topics: scientists, US Army Corps of Engineers, WOTUS, USACE, technology, ArcGIS, Esri, delineation, section 404, fastest wetland delineation app, wetland delineation app, environmental permitting, preconstruction, wetland delineation, efficiency software, policy