39th Environmental Permitting Summer School

This informative and extremely popular course has been updated once again for 2025! This panel of agency, industry, and legal experts will explore the projected impacts of climate change and sea-level rise in the context of infrastructure, natural systems, planning, and law for both urbanized and rural communities, large and small. Come prepared with your questions for the panel as they provide an overview of the current science and policies related to climate change with a specific focus on impacts in Florida. The discussion will identify current and future regulatory and policy implications of sea-level rise in Florida, regional partnerships/collaborations, and state and federal laws, policies, and regulations that address coastal resiliency. The panel will also examine potential adaptation and mitigation strategies to protect infrastructure and natural systems, anticipated hurdles to adaptation strategy implementation and liability, and legal considerations for climate planning and response.

This panel will provide the latest information on Candidate Species Updates, State and Federal current and future mitigation policies related to species, and the implications for both public and private infrastructure projects. This course covers new mitigation policy related to species impacts for all USFWS agency actions under both the CWA and ESA. Discussion of updated Imperiled Species Action Plans. Get the latest information and hear the discussion on the implications for Florida.

In this popular session, a panel of subject matter experts will present the trends in the newest regulated contaminant: PFAS. Panelists will discuss the EPA's latest plans to address PFAS, as well as the most recent scientific studies, strategies for conducting due diligence, and the status of remediation technologies. This session is relevant for both attorneys and consultants.

Florida’s 2024 stormwater rule is already reshaping project planning and permitting across the state—but we’re not fully there yet. With portions of the rule already in effect and the all-important treatment performance provisions delayed until late 2025, this panel tackles the uncertainties and evolving expectations facing stormwater engineers, public and private developers, and local governments. Hear directly from a panel of regulators and experienced practitioners as they unpack how the rule is being interpreted in practice, what’s changing (and when), and how best to prepare for full implementation. Expect practical takeaways, discussion of real project scenarios, and ample time for audience Q&A in this highly interactive session.

This course provides an overview of the latest developments and best practices in tools available to non-federal entities to comply with the federal Endangered Species Act. Section 10 of the ESA allows for incidental take permits or enhancement of survival permits that provide durable, long-term regulatory assurances that are not available under the federal consultation process of ESA Section 7. These tools have been widely used across the country but less so in Florida. This course will provide a roadmap for how to consider these tools for your projects, lessons learned from successful plans, and pitfalls to avoid. The panel will also discuss how recent court decisions and regulatory changes may influence this key provision of the ESA. Highly relevant case studies will be provided from Florida, the eastern United States, and around the country.

This course provides an overview of the latest developments and best practices in tools available to non-federal entities to comply with the federal Endangered Species Act. Section 10 of the ESA allows for incidental take permits or enhancement of survival permits that provide durable, long-term regulatory assurances that are not available under the federal consultation process of ESA Section 7. These tools have been widely used across the country but less so in Florida. This course will provide a roadmap for how to consider these tools for your projects, lessons learned from successful plans, and pitfalls to avoid. The panel will also discuss how recent court decisions and regulatory changes may influence this key provision of the ESA. Highly relevant case studies will be provided from Florida, the eastern United States, and around the country.

In this extremely popular panel of experts on Lake Okeechobee, the panel is again presenting on critical issues affecting Lake Okeechobee and the Northern Estuaries.
Part 1 This year, numerous developing issues are affecting the Lake, including the new lake schedule “LOSOM” being implemented by the US Army Corps of Engineers and the ASR program north of the lake. In this 2-part course, the panel will focus on these latest developments, as well as the Herbert Hoover Dike Rehabilitation, endangered species, water quality, and the status of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan projects that affect the Lake.
Part 2 The panel represents a diverse cross-section of government, private landowners, tribal entities, and environmental and agricultural interests. The panel will discuss how Lake management decisions affect their differing interests and obligations and the varying issues that must be balanced to make effective decisions.

In this extremely popular panel of experts on Lake Okeechobee, the panel is again presenting on critical issues affecting Lake Okeechobee and the Northern Estuaries.
Part 1 This year, numerous developing issues are affecting the Lake, including the new lake schedule “LOSOM” being implemented by the US Army Corps of Engineers and the ASR program north of the lake. In this 2-part course, the panel will focus on these latest developments, as well as the Herbert Hoover Dike Rehabilitation, endangered species, water quality, and the status of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan projects that affect the Lake.
Part 2 The panel represents a diverse cross-section of government, private landowners, tribal entities, and environmental and agricultural interests. The panel will discuss how Lake management decisions affect their differing interests and obligations and the varying issues that must be balanced to make effective decisions.