39th Environmental Permitting Summer School

Talk to me about...
County, state, and federal environmental regulations
Environmental permitting strategy
Marina feasibility
Beach and inlet management
Resilient waterfront park design
Permit compliance
Mitigation assessment and negotiation
Ecological assessment and monitoring
Grant Funding Opportunities
NEPA Documentation and Compliance
Environmental Impact Assessments

Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) plan development and implementation, coastal restoration, beach nourishment, listed species protection/regulation, wetland restoration

With a broad background in water resources, Scott addresses all aspects of surface water quality, including water-resource planning, evaluating best management practices (BMPs), conducting lake studies, assessing water quality, and sampling. His skill set also encompasses compliance strategies for public- and private-sector clients. He uses his deep understanding of water quality permitting and regulations, including NPDES MS4, MSGP, and IWW permitting programs, to help clients reach and maintain compliance. Scott regularly helps private-sector clients comply with environmental liability and permitting... Read more

Water/Environmental Policy consultant/lobbyist; and land use planner.

Dr. deSilva has over 30 years of experience in wastewater (leachate, Industrial and municipal) engineering, including project concept through construction and start-up. He is an international leader in operations and maintenance, energy management, solids handling processes, construction management, and commissioning wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) throughout the United States, as well as in Japan, France, Australia, Ukraine, Venezuela, Guam, India, Sri Lanka, Korea, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, UAE, and Iraq. Dr. deSilva is experienced in the evaluation and sizing of treatment processes to remove... Read more

Niki has over 20 years of experience managing protected species monitoring programs and coordinating/conducting field work in Florida. Her expertise is in sea turtle nesting beach management, shorebird/seabird conservation, and habitat conservation planning. Please ask Niki about environmental consulting; protected species monitoring and management; Section 10 ESA Habitat Conservation Planning; Running!

I am a cultural resource specialist with Tetra Tech Inc. Tetra Tech’s EGS cultural resources department is a full-service Section 106 compliance department: from consultation to fulfillment and reporting, utilizing SOI- qualified archaeologists and historians with decades of combined experience in the cultural sector. We offer project planning, research, GIS analysis, monitoring, mitigation, impact analysis, and environmental assessment for compliance with NHPA and NEPA, and consultation with Federal agencies, State Historic Preservation Offices, and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices
I am a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA), with almost 10 years of experience in cultural resource management. I have experience in terrestrial archaeology, historic preservation, archival research, and report writing. I have worked under contract for several governmental agencies and private clients and is competent in federal and state laws, regulations, guidelines, and local ordinances regarding cultural resources. My responsibilities have included conducting field investigations for archaeology and historic preservation, artifact identification and curation, consultation with SHPOs... Read more

Laura DiBella was appointed as Florida’s first female Secretary of Commerce, and her former position combined with extensive economic development experience allows her to use her business, government, capitol connections, and vast knowledge of the regulatory and procurement processes to provide clients with government relations and consulting services.

Prior to joining Adams and Reese, Laura was the former President of Business Development at FloridaCommerce; President/CEO at Enterprise Florida; President of the Florida Opportunity Fund (Florida’s Venture Capital arm), gaining knowledge of... Read more

Michelle Diffenderfer is the President and a Shareholder of Lewis, Longman & Walker, P.A., a statewide environmental law firm. Mrs. Diffenderfer assists landowners, businesses and governments with local, state and federal, environmental, natural resource and land development legal requirements. Michelle helps clients navigate these laws and regulations in the permitting of their land development and infrastructure projects. Michelle received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Miami, School of Law, in 1994 and her Bachelor of Arts, with honors, from Brown University, in 1990.

Office Manager and Lead for APTIM’s Jacksonville, FL location. Responsible for service line operations management, technical review and oversight, personnel development, business development, revenue expansion, and client relations throughout Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. Professional Environmental Scientist and Project Manager with more than eight years of technical experience as an Environmental Consultant for federal, municipal, commercial, and private projects and clients.

Watershed Management, Floodplains, Floodways, Water Quality, Low Impact Development, Environmental Permitting

Land Use, Zoning, Real Estate Development, Areas of Critical State Concern, Developer-Side HOA and Condo Issues, Construction and Lending Due Diligence, Fiction, Film, Greyhounds.

Ms. Durden’s practice focuses on governmental, land use, environmental and administrative law. Her clients include landowners, developers, local governments, banks, manufacturers, industrial and educational facilities in matters related to land development, community redevelopment, real estate transactions, hazardous materials, brownfields, contamination and remedial actions, solid waste and air quality regulation. Brenna has experience in transactional due diligence, administrative, environmental and land use litigation. She is AV-Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been listed in the Best Lawyers... Read more

In 2012, I founded American Environmental Consulting, Inc. (AEC), a 100% woman-owned small business. My vision was to build an environmental engineering firm that provides practical, cost-effective, business-minded solutions to real property environmental issues. I strategically employ a small, core staff of highly talented professionals and utilize a broad network of specialized associates and business partners to serve our clients’ changing and evolving needs in a sensible and understandable way.

I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from George Mason University and completed gradu... Read more

Experienced proposal manager working to help Colliers Engineering & design grow in Florida. Have been working in the engineering field for over 26 years with a strong technical background.

Steven Folsom is Vice President with Verdantas, working with clients to provide creative solutions for engineering and environmental compliance issues related to site investigation, remedial design and performance optimization, brownfields redevelopment, solid and hazardous waste compliance, environmental due diligence, water resources, permitting, construction management, and litigation support. In addition to his successful management of projects involving award-winning brownfields renewal projects and nationally acclaimed innovative site remedies, he is an accomplished technical author and presenter... Read more

Water Supply Development, Water Conservation, Water rights, Water Quality, Sustainability, Water Use Permitting, Potable Reuse

I am interested in habitat restoration, particularly of seagrasses, including their valuation, ecological function, landscape dynamics and associated hydrodynamic environment particularly as it is influenced by wind waves, boat wakes and tidal currents. My recent activities include using our understanding of these interrelationships to develop new approaches to seagrass mitigation.

John J. Fumero has over 30 years of experience in the areas of environmental, water, land use, administrative and governmental law. Mr. Fumero, formerly General Counsel of the South Florida Water Management District, provides strategic counsel to landowners, developers, industry, agriculture, utilities and local governments throughout Florida. He represents both private and public sector clients before local, state and federal agencies and courts. He has extensive experience in all aspects of state and federal environmental/water permitting, public/private partnerships for infrastructure, complex... Read more

38+ years of environmental consulting experience.  Serves as Environmental Division Manager and Senior Hydrogeologist.  Responsible for staffing, contract and project management, direct client communications, preparation and review of project scopes, and fee estimation, contract negotiations, project execution, and regulatory reporting. Performed pre-demolition environmental compliance surveys at port facilities, wetlands and listed species surveys of coastal basin areas, assessment and remediation of RCRA metals, chlorinated solvent and petroleum impacts, due diligence studies, pre-qualification... Read more

I graduated from FSU with a BS in Environmental Science. During college I worked as a research assistant focusing on international aquaculture & I also interned at a wildlife conservation where I was working very closely with exotic & endangered animals. I now work with CMS Environmental Solutions, making sure that our clients are following all protocols to stay compliant with the FDEP & EPA.

I'm a Florida native! I have a 100lb dog named Harley & we both love doing anything outdoors, whether it's walking on nature trails or swimming in the ocean. I am looking forward to connecting with like-minded individuals... Read more

Michael R. Goldstein is the Managing Shareholder of The Goldstein Environmental Law Firm, P.A., president of the Goldstein Brownfields Foundation, president of the Goldstein Brownfields Group, co-CEO of Goldstein Kite Environmental Redevelopment Partners, former Chairman of the Miami-Dade County Brownfields Task Force, a founder, charter member, and the first President and Chairman of the Florida Brownfields Association, and an original member of the Steering Committee of the National Brownfields Coalition and Chair of its Public Policy, Regulatory Incentives, and Regulatory Partnership Committee... Read more

Flatwoods Consulting Group Inc. (Flatwoods) is a Florida-based Small Business Enterprise (SBE) that assists clients in navigating complex environmental regulation. Our vision is to provide the highest quality consultation to our clients in a cost-effective manner. Our team of highly qualified scientists and professionals has advanced degrees, professional certifications and project experience related to many aspects of upland, wetland and benthic ecology, wildlife surveys, as well as various types of ecological monitoring, permitting, and mitigation. Our comprehensive technical approach, in-depth... Read more

Environmental Services Section Manager for Hillsborough County Public Utilities. Environmental Services oversees compliance and permitting for the County’s Wastewater, Potable, Solid Waste and UIC facilities, as well as Industrial Pretreatment and Phosphate Mining land restoration. Mr. Greenwell has over 30 years of experience in environmental engineering and regulatory matters. Prior to his employment with Hillsborough County, he worked for the Department of Environmental Protection as the Water Facilities Administrator and the Waste Administrator in the Southwest District. He is a professional... Read more

President and founder of NovelEsolutions (NovelE). NovelE is an 8a | WOSB | DBE firm offering environmental engineering and consulting services. Our average technical staff experience is over 20 years allowing us to provide high quality services.

Jim Guida is a Florida-registered Professional Geologist who has specialized in water resources, water supply, and Florida water regulation and planning for nearly 40-years. Jim joined the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority in March 2022 and serves as the Authority’s Director of Water Resources & Planning.  Jim has 38 years of private and public sector water resource experience including hydrogeology, regulatory permitting, water supply planning, development and management. He was previously employed with the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) for over two... Read more

Ahmed Hamed is a Senior Engineer with Geosyntec Consultants, specializing in stormwater management. He has extensive experience in developing and managing flood risk models and flood protection projects across rural and urban watersheds in Florida. Previously, Ahmed was a project manager at the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), where he gained expertise in technical and funding programs, including watershed management plans and cooperative funding initiatives. Ahmed holds a Master's degree in Water Resource Engineering from the University of Central Florida (UCF) and an MBA... Read more

I am a Civil Engineer, Graduated from the University of Kansas in 1978 and began my career in Wichita Kansas as a bridge designer. After being involved in many interesting projects I transferred my interest into Land Development and have not slowed down. I was recruited by Post Buckley Shuh & Jernigan in November 1987.  I spent 7 years in the Caribbean designing and building Co-Generation plants, Hotels and Resorts.   I have worked on many sink hole projects, golf course projects and resorts. Currently I am involved with many commercial and residential projects and working closely with many General... Read more

I am part of WGI's multi-discipline land development team. We work on all facets of land development; private residential, commercial, mixed use, golf course conversions, etc., providing environmental, landscape architecture, planning, design, engineering, and architecture services. WGI is a nationwide firm but headquartered in West Palm Beach and is active in the industries described above as well as large-scale transportation and municipality projects for consulting, design, and permitting.

Hannah leads resilience planning and market growth efforts in Florida, and manages climate resilience projects in Florida, Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey. She has 20 years of experience in public and private industry, managing programs for FDOT and the St. Johns River Water Management District for 10 years. Her background includes nature-based design solutions for coastal and freshwater systems, NEPA compliance, consumptive-use regulations, construction-phase compliance, disaster response, and writing legislation and policy for agencies. In her spare time, Hannah enjoys hiking, fishing, and... Read more

I am a recent graduate from the USF School of Geosciences. I have a BS in geology and I begin law school at Stetson College of Law in August. I intend on a concentration in environmental law and I'd like to work in soil & groundwater contamination.

I am an environmental lawyer who has more than 50 years experience in environmental matters as an engineer, biologist, consultant and lawyer. My practice includes all aspects of environmental law including air and water permitting and enforcement defense, solid and hazardous wastes, contaminated sites and wetlands. You can view my credentials at www.floridalandlaw.com. Among other things, I have been attending the Marco Island conference for over 35 years and I been involved in the Florida Brownfields Association from the time it was conceived and was a founding member. I look forward to seeing... Read more

Dr. Heilman has over 25 years of experience in research and management of Florida's aquatic ecosystems with focus on the management of aquatic invasive plants and water quality in the state's public lakes.   He is a past President of the national Aquatic Plant Management Society (APMS), a current Board member of the North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA), and Certified Lake Manager (CLM) with the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS).

I am one of the Principal Engineers with Jim Stidham and Associates. Working with JSA for over 20 years, primarily in the fields of water, wastewater, and emerging contaminants in the state of Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. I also have designed multiple constructed wetlands for effluent conditioning and disposal for wastewater treatment plants.

I am the Regulation Division Director at the Southwest Florida Water Management District, overseeing the Environmental Resource Permitting (ERP), Water Use Permitting (WUP) and Well Construction Permitting (WCP) programs. I have more than 30 years of water resources engineering experience working in both the private and public sector. I have a broad understanding of ERP & WUP rules, regulations and permitting practices of regulatory agencies at the local, state, and federal levels and I coordinate regularly with applicants and our statewide partners at the USACE, FDEP and other Florida water management... Read more

I lead the ecology Group for Ardurra Group out of the Central Florida office. As such, I provide environmental and ecological consulting services to clients primarily consisting of state and local government organizations. Services provided include state and federal environmental permitting, wildlife crossings and habitat connectivity enhancements, environmental due diligence, wetland delineation and assessment, protected species surveys and consultation, gopher tortoise relocation, regulatory agency coordination, NEPA process for transportation planning, habitat restoration, and GPS/GIS data collection... Read more

Farmton Mitigation Bank