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| Highlights from the 18th Annual Texas Environmental Superconference "THE FUTURE IS SO BRIGHT, I GOTTA WEAR SHADES" |
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 (An 80’s flashback as Pat McDonald, lead singer and song writer of (now defunk) Timbuk 3, sings “The Future So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades,” in front of a huge photo of Tom Cruise (with his raybans, naturally) from “Risky Business.”)
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The theme of the 18th Annual Environmental Superconference, held August 3-4, 2006 was – “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades” – featured songs of the 80’s. There was a surprise performance of the theme song by Pat McDonald, lead singer and song writer of Timbuk 3, the band that recorded this huge 80’s hit. Pat McDonald opened by joking that while it was a great honor to be asked to perform, “It’s also my greatest humiliation.” McDonald stayed on to perform during the cocktail reception following the first day of the Superconference.
Continuing a tradition begun last year, there was a primer on environmental law the evening of August 2, Environmental Law 102 – “Sunglasses at Night.”
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 (Marty Thompson, with Haynes & Boone, gets her 80’s groove move going, during a skit at the Superconference. Later in the day, she paired with Debra Baker of Connelly, Baker, Mastron, Wotring Jackson, to form the singing duo of “Pointer Sisters” (so named by the Superconference “record label” because they pointed a lot).)
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Featured speakers at the conference included Mayor Richard Greene, EPA Region 6 Regional Administrator, who discussed the challenges EPA faced in dealing with Hurricane Katrina (“Blame It on the Rain”), Texas Senator Todd Staples, discussing Biofuels (“The Power of Love”), Roger Martella, EPA Principal Deputy General Counsel, discussing EPA Headquarters’ perspective (“Funky Town”) , EPA Region 6 Deputy Regional Administrator Larry Starfield and TCEQ Commissioner Larry Soward participating in a panel discussion on hot issues (“Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” aptly named as it was a very spirited discussion), and a panel of three former TCEQ Commissioners (John Baker, Ralph Marquez, Robert Huston), moderated by the late Gregg Cooke, former Regional Administrator of EPA Region 6 (“Back to the “Future”). |
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 (Natalie Hossain and Christina Frazier, both with LCRA, get into the conference’s theme by donning their sunglasses, standard issue along with the written materials.)
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Topics included the old staples and some new ones as well, including solid waste, CERCLA, water and air quality, power plants, enforcement, in-house counsel forum, jury argument, proving up costs, and ethics. Environmental Law 102 discussed fundamentals of various aspects of the practice of environmental law, including permitting , rulemaking, enforcement, cleanup programs, and transactions. Using the hypothetical of a new coal- |
fired power plant developed on an historic industrial property, the presenters explained the nuts and bolts of these different aspects as they arise in the life cycle of the facility. For the 2006 program, click here. |
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