Superconference Materials
(1988 – Present)
2026 Superconference
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
WELCOME AND PROGRAM OVERVIEW: Mary Simmons Mendoza, Vice Chair, Texas Environmental Superconference
MODERATOR: Carolyn Ahrens, Solo Practitioner and Of Counsel, Booth & Associates, P.C.
AN INTRODUCTION TO DATA CENTERS – A.W. Armstrong, Principal & Texas Market Director, Ramboll
THE FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE – Rob Seifert, Director, Infrastructure Disposition and Regulatory Policy, U.S. Department of Energy, Rachael Marsh, Chief Legal Officer, Edison Electric Institute
TEXAS WATER AND POWER SUPPLY ISSUES – Alan Leonard, Director of Policy, Texas Water Foundation, Jared Berg, Partner, Bracewell LLP
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION – Rob Seifert, Rachael Marsh, Alan Leonard, Jared Berg
MODERATOR: Mary Simmons Mendoza
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES – Jason A. Hill, Partner, Holland & Knight LLP, Alicia Smith, Principal, Ramboll, David B. Spence, Professor, University of Texas School of Law
Thursday, August 6, 2026
OPENING REMARKS – Jeff Civins, Chair, Texas Environmental Superconference, Trammell S. Crow, Founder, EarthX, Joe Pere, Chair Emeritus, Central Texas Chapter, Air & Waste Management Association, Southwest Section, Julie Nahrgang, Executive Director, Water Environment Association of TexasDanny G. Worrell, ABA Section of Environment, Energy & Resources, Lisa Uselton Dyar, Chair, Environmental & Natural Resources Law Section, State Bar of Texas
MODERATOR: Cindy Bishop, President, C Bishop Law PC
SUPREME COURT UPDATE – John Cruden, Principal, Beveridge & Diamond PC, Todd Kim, Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
CASE LAW UPDATE – James E. Smith, Shareholder, Crain Caton & James
MODERATOR: Ty’Meka M. Reeves-Sobers, Partner, Clifford Chance US LLP
WATER ISSUES – Jeremy Mazur, Director of Infrastructure & Natural Resource Policy, Texas 2036, Lynn Sherman, Partner, Jackson Walker
TEXAS COASTAL ISSUES – Jim Blackburn, Outside Counsel, Gulf Coast Protection District, Michael Irlbeck, Director Business Development, EPCOR, Erik Eriksson, former Chief Legal Officer, Port of Houston Authority
MODERATOR: Anne Austin, Founder, Austin Legal & Public Affairs
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR REMARKS – Scott Mason, Regional Administrator, EPA Region 6
FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY UPDATE – Ashleigh Myers, Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, Shailesh Sahay, Partner, Bracewell LLP, A.J. Wissinger, Partner, Reed Smith LLP
TCEQ/EPA CHAT – Chat Leader: Stephanie Bergeron Perdue, Partner, Baker Botts LLP, Kelly Keel, Executive Director, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Stacey Dwyer, Deputy Regional Administrator, EPA Region 6
MODERATOR: Pam Giblin, Senior Policy Advisor, Climate Leadership Counsel
AIR QUALITY – Terry Salem, Special Counsel, Office of Legal Services, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Jordan Rodriguez, Shareholder, Winstead P.C., Parker Wilson, Vice President of Regulatory Law, Valero (Retired)
OIL PATCH – Betsy Peticolas, Environmental Attorney, Railroad Commission of Texas, David Terry, Counsel, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, Dania Grundmann, Assistant Director, Water Quality Division, TCEQ
Friday, August 7, 2026
MODERATOR: Peter T. Gregg, Partner, Gregg Law PC
FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT – Jeffrey Hall, Assistant Administrator, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, EPA
STATE AND CITIZEN ENFORCEMENT – J. Amber Ahmed, Of Counsel, Beveridge & Diamond
CLIMATE – Jim Blackburn, Chairman of the Board and Founder, BCarbon, Aaron Ramcharan, Associate, Baker Botts LLP, Patrick Runge, Partner, Burke Law Group PLLC
MODERATOR: Jason A. Hill, Partner, Holland & Knight LLP
CHEMICAL AND PRODUCT REGULATION – Cynthia Stroman, Partner, King & Spalding LLP, Clarissa Howley Mills, Partner, Holland & Knight LLP
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW UPDATE – Linda Secord, Attorney at Law, Eric Groten, Senior Partner, Vinson & Elkins LLP
MODERATOR: Steve Morton, Attorney, The Morton Law Firm, PLLC
AI AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAW – Tracy Hester, Professor, University of Houston Law Center, Glenn C. Clingenpeel, Deputy General Manager, Trinity River Authority of Texas, Patricia Peterson, Vice President of Claims, TLIE
ETHICS AND LOBBYING – Denise Davis, Partner, Davis Kaufman PLLC, Sam Gammage, State Government Affairs Director-Southwest Region, Dow, Rep. Brooks Landgraf, State Representative, Texas House of Representatives
2025 Superconference
Wednesday, August 6, 2025
MODERATORS: Anne Idsal Austin, Attorney & Founder, Austin Legal & Public Affairs, PLLC; Mary Simmons Mendoza, Partner, Haynes Boone LLP
ENERGY – David Fotouhi, Deputy Administrator, EPA; Matthew Z. Leopold, Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP; Travis Wussow, Partner, Jackson Walker LLP
PERMITTING – Ann D. Navaro, Partner, Bracewell LLP; Jason A. Hill, Partner, Holland & Knight L.L.P (presentation); Justin Schwab, General Counsel, CEQ
Thursday, August 7, 2025
OPENING REMARKS – Jeff Civins, Trammell S. Crow, Joe Pere, Julie Nahrgang, Danny G. Worrell, Mike Dillinger
MODERATOR: Anne Idsal Austin, Attorney & Founder, Austin Legal and Public Affairs, PLLC
EPA HEADQUARTERS UPDATE – David Fotouhi, Deputy Administrator, EPA
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE – Shea Pearson, Environmental Lobbyist, HillCo Partners (presentation) (paper)
CASE LAW UPDATE – Kami McFarland, Senior Associate, Clifford Chance (presentation) (paper)
NEPA – Justin Schwab, General Counsel, CEQ
VCP & TRRP UPDATE – Kenneth Tramm, PhD, PE, PG, CHMM, General Manager, Modern Geosciences (presentation) (paper); Steve Morton, Attorney, The Morton Law Firm, PLLC (presentation)
TCEQ/EPA – Brooke Paup, Chairwoman, TCEQ; Scott Mason IV, Regional Administrator, EPA Region 6
MODERATOR: Carolyn Ahrens, Solo Practitioner and Of Counsel, Booth & Associates, P.C.
AIR QUALITY: Aaron L. Szabo, Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, EPA; Hannah Roskey, Senior Associate, Baker Botts L.L.P (presentation) (paper); Brittany Pemberton, Partner, Bracewell LLP (presentation) (paper); Jim Blackburn, Professor in the Practice of Environmental Law, Rice University (presentation) (paper); Amy Browning, Senior Attorney, Environmental Law Division, TCEQ (presentation)
GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS – Carlos Rubinstein, Principal, RSAH2O, LLC (presentation) (paper); Natasha Martin, Shareholder, Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody; Casey Cooper, Associate, Terrill & Waldrop (presentation) (paper)
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION – Marisa Perales, Partner, Perales, Allmon & Ice, P.C. (paper); Hon. Shelly M. Doggett, Administrative Law Judge, State Office of Administrative Hearings; Jon Niermann, Partner — Environmental & Natural Resources, Vinson & Elkins LLP (paper)
UNDERGROUND INJECTION CONTROL – James McGuire, Partner, Holland & Knight LLP; David Grounds, VP Regulatory, Pilot Water Solutions (presentation) (paper); Barry Smitherman, Chairman, President, and Co-founder, Texas (presentation)
Friday, August 8, 2025
MODERATOR: Cindy Bishop, President, C Bishop Law PC
ENFORCEMENT – Joe W. Bailey II, Owner, Hinton | Bailey PC (presentation); Craig J. Pritzlaff, Director – Office of Compliance and Enforcement, TCEQ (presentation)
NUCLEAR POWER AND URANIUM MINING – Kym Harshaw, Executive Vice President & Chief Nuclear Officer –
Retired, STP Nuclear Operating Company (presentation); Colleen Grygier, Senior Attorney, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP; Marty O’Neill, Associate General Counsel, Nuclear Energy Institute
NEW COURT – Jane Webre, Partner, Scott Douglass & McConnico LLP (presentation) (paper)
UNIVERSAL AND SOLID WASTE – Diane Goss, Senior Attorney, Environmental Law Division, TCEQ (presentation)
EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY/POST CONSUMER RECYCLED CONTENT PRORAMS – Victor K. Salazar, Associate, Haynes Boone LLP (presentation) (paper)
MODERATOR: Jason A. Hill, Partner, Holland & Knight L.L.P.
PFAS – James B. Slaughter, Partner, Beveridge & Diamond PC (presentation) (paper); Reza Zarghamee, Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP (presentation); Kirby H. Tyndall, PhD, DABT, Senior Associate Toxicologist, GSI Environmental (presentation) (paper); Susan T. Litherland, P.E., Principal, SQ Environmental LLC (presentation)
ETHICS – Gaines West, Partner, West, Webb, Allbritton & Gentry, P.C.; Marcella Burke, Chairman, Burke Law Group, PLLC (presentation)
2024 Superconference
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
MODERATOR: Mary Simmons Mendoza, Partner, Haynes and Boone LLP
(paper 1, paper 2, paper 3, paper 4)
VIEW FROM THE BENCH – The Honorable Alan D. Albright, U.S. District Judge, Western District of Texas
LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES – Henson Adams, Associate, Haynes and Boone LLP (presentation); Ed Cavazos, Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP; Kevin D. Collins, Partner, Bracewell; Elizabeth Rogers, Of Counsel, Winstead PC
Thursday, August 1, 2024
MODERATOR: Pam Giblin, Senior Policy Advisor, Climate Leadership Council
CASE LAW UPDATE – SCOTUS – Thomas O. McGarity, Professor of Law, The University of Texas at Austin (paper)
CASE LAW UPDATE – OTHER – Jillian Marullo, Special Counsel, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP (paper) (presentation)
AIR QUALITY – Taylor Holcomb, Partner, Jackson Walker LLP (paper); Brooke Villegas, Assistant Regional Counsel, EPA Region 6; Jacob Gallegos, Assistant Regional Counsel, EPA Region 6
METHANE – Ashley T. K. Phillips, Partner, Holland & Knight (presentation); Jim Blackburn, Professor in the Practice of Environmental Law, Co-director, SSPEED Center, Rice University (paper) (presentation)
MODERATOR: Carolyn Ahrens, Of Counsel, Booth & Associates. P.C.
WATER SUPPLY – John Hryhorchuk, Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, Texas 2036 (paper) (presentation); Michael Irlbeck, Director, Business Development, EPCOR (paper) (presentation); Robert Mace, Ph.D., Executive Director & Professor of Practice, Department of Geography, Texas State University (presentation); Cole C. Ruiz, Principal, Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle & Townsend, P.C. (paper)
TCEQ & EPA – Stacey B. Dwyer P.E., Deputy Regional Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6; Catarina Gonzales, Commissioner, TCEQ
ESA – Brooke M. Marcus, Partner, Nossaman LLP (paper) (presentation)
ENFORCEMENT – David Arthur Terry, Counsel, Hunton Andrews Kurth (paper) (presentation); Barrett Hollingsworth, SEP Attorney – Litigation Division, TCEQ (presentation); Cheryl Seager, Director, Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division, EPA Region 6 (presentation)
Friday, August 2, 2024
MODERATOR: Cindy Bishop, President, C Bishop Law PC
PFAS (paper 1, paper 2) (presentation) – Steven D. Cook, Of Counsel, Bracewell LLP; Dorothy E. Watson, Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP; Rock J. Vitale, Technical Director of Chemistry/Principal, Environmental Standards
INSURANCE (presentation)- Andrew Van Osselaer, Associate, Haynes and Boone LLP; Lindene E. Patton, Partner, Earth & Water Law LLC; Jim Vetter, Managing Director, Marsh USA
NEPA/CEQ – Brandon M. Tuck, Partner, Vinson & Elkins LLP (paper) (presentation)
CARBON CAPTURE/PORE SPACE (presentation) – Katie Windle, Associate, Baker Botts LLP (paper); Charles McGuire, Project Manager, Technical Permitting – Oil & Gas Division, Railroad Commission of Texas
MODERATOR: Stephanie Bergeron Perdue, Partner, Baker Botts L.L.P.
CLIMATE DISCLOSURE – Ty’Meka Reeves-Sobers, Partner, Clifford Chance (paper) (presentation)
INCIDENT PLANNING AND RESPONSE
FRP AND RMP UPDATES – Joseph A. Eisert, Partner, King & Spalding LLP (presentation)
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE – Christian D. Menefee, Attorney, Harris County Attorney’s Office; Clarissa Howley Mills, Deputy Regional Counsel, EPA Region 6
ETHICS – Travis J. Sales, Partner, O’Melveny & Myers, LLP; Tracy Hester, Professor, University of Houston Law Center (presentation)
2023 Superconference
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2, 2023
WELCOME – Mary Simmons Mendoza
OPENING REMARKS AND OVERVIEW OF CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT IN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW – John Cruden (presentation)
CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAW (reference documents) – Nadira Clarke, Kevin D. Collins, Kristena Glenn (presentation), Jim Noble
THURSDAY AUGUST 3, 2023
OPENING REMARKS – Jeff Civins, Bruce Fogarty, Sally Mills Perry, Julie Nahrgang, Danny G. Worrell, Peter Wahl
CASE LAW UPDATE – Jason A. Hill (paper)
NEW WATER FOR TEXAS – Debra Tsuchiyama Baker, L’Oréal Stepney, P.E. (paper) (presentation), Sarah Kirkle (presentation)
AIR QUALITY/CLIMATE CHANGE – Jacob Gallegos, Aaron H. Vargas, Harrison Reback (paper), Paul Ruiz (presentation)
TCEQ TOXICOLOGIST – Sabine Lange, Ph.D., DABT (presentation)
LEGISLATION/SUNSET REVIEW – Tina O’Jibway (paper)
EPA & TCEQ – Stacey B. Dwyer, Erin E. Chancellor
CONTESTED CASE HEARING UPDATE – Marisa Perales, Jamie L. Mauldin, Hon. Linda Horng Brite
THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN PERMITTING AND ENFORCEMENT – Cheryl T. Seager (presentation), Anne Idsal Austin (paper)
FALLOUT FROM THE OHIO TRAIN DERAILMENT – Steven Cook (paper) (presentation), Devin Sprinkle (presentation)
FRIDAY AUGUST 4, 2023
OPENING REMARKS – Jeff Civins
WELCOME – Mayor Kirk Watson
NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGES – Scottie Aplin (presentation), Jeffrey R. Wakefield Ph. D. (paper) (presentation), Bill Jackson (paper) (presentation)
ENERGY OVERVIEW – Dr. Scott W. Tinker (presentation)
PATHWAYS TO NET ZERO
NUCLEAR: Martin O’Neill (presentation)
GEOTHERMAL: Dr. Kenneth Wisian
CCS AND DIRECT CARBON CAPTURE: James “Jim” Dolphin
RENEWABLES – WIND AND SOLAR: Christine Fernandez Owen (presentation)
HYDROGEN: Michael C. Lewis (presentation)
DEVELOPING AND PRESENTING TECHNICAL EVIDENCE – Rudy Johnson, Ph.D., Adam Sencenbaugh (paper) (presentation), Craig R. Bennett
ETHICS (presentation) – Michael S. Truesdale, F. Witcher McCullough, Patricia Peterson
MODERATORS – Carolyn Ahrens, Cindy Bishop, John Cruden, Pam Giblin, Phillip Goodwin
2022 Superconference
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
OPENING REMARKS – Mary Mendoza
BEFORE THE HEARING – RESPONDING TO THE HEARING REQUEST – Michael F. Vitris (presentation)
SOAH REFERRALS AND THE TYPES OF HEARINGS – Lisa Dyar, Derek Seal (presentation)
THE FEDERAL ROLE IN PERMITTING – Anne Austin (presentation)
DOS AND DON’TS FROM THE ALJ PERSPECTIVE – Hon. Linda Horng Brite,
Hon. Amy Davis
Thursday, August 4, 2022
OPENING REMARKS – Jeff Civins, Trammell S. Crow, Sally Mills Perry, Julie Nahrgang, Danny G. Worrell, Erin Chancellor
GREETINGS FROM TCEQ – Toby Baker
GREETINGS FROM CEQ – Brenda Mallory, Pam Giblin
NEPA UPDATE – Jason A. Hill (presentation)
AIR QUALITY/CLIMATE CHANGE – Brittany M. Pemberton (presentation), Terry Salem (presentation), Charlotte Goudeau, Aaron Vargas
WATER – Loren Denton, James T. Aldredge, Corrine Snow
EPA REGION 6 REMARKS – Dr. Earthea Nance
ENFORCEMENT – Michael C. Martinez, Craig Pritzlaff, Sarah Utley, Kellie Billings-Ray, Philip H. Hilder
HISTORIC CONTAMINATION – Steve Morton (paper, presentation), Amanda Halter (paper)
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN EMERGENCIES – Kelly Cook (presentation), Marcella Burke, Brian Dunagan (presentation)
WELLNESS – Walt Shelton (paper, presentation)
Friday, August 5, 2022
OPENING REMARKS – Cindy Bishop
VIEW FROM EPA GC – Jeffrey M. Prieto
SUPREME COURT REVIEW – John Cruden, Robert (Bob) Percival (presentation)
CASE LAW UPDATE – Amanda L. Soler (presentation)
PFAS LEGISLATION – U.S. Representative Madeleine Dean (D-PA)
USE OF EXPERTS IN CRISIS LITIGATION – Lauren Brogdon, Randy Sorrels, Shawn Paquette (presentation)
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL & NATURAL RESOURCES LAW SECTION OF THE SBOT – Chris Smith
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE – Lilian Dorka (presentation), Stephanie Bergeron Perdue (presentation), Kelly L. Haragan (presentation)
EPA/TX/OK POINTS COUNTERPOINTS – Erin Chancellor, Kenneth E. Wagner, James McGuire
ESG AND CLIMATE DISCLOSURE – Sarah E. Fortt, Jessica B. Magee
2021 Superconference
Tyler Ryska and Gabrielle Smith
Kate Goodrich and Elizabeth Fazio Hale
Anne Idsal Austin, Dr. Loren Hopkins, Edward Clark Lewis, Terry Salem
Melanie Benesh (paper) (presentation), Alexandra Dapolito Dunn (paper 1) (paper 2) (presentation), Michael E. Honeycutt
Hon. Rafael Anchia, Ann D. Navaro, Robert Powelson
James B. Blackburn (paper) (presentation), Charles (Chuck) H. Knauss, John Wagner
Conrad Bolston, Mike Dillinger, Lawrence M. Heim, Maria Dunn
Nathan Koppel, Tony Lucisano, Irma Russell (paper) (presentation)