Tyler Rychener
WSP

DESCRIPTION

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is a cornerstone of environmental law in the United States, requiring federal agencies to assess the environmental impacts of their actions before making decisions. The first part of this session will provide an introduction to NEPA's framework, purpose and procedures. Attendees will gain a foundational understanding of how NEPA works, from initial environmental assessments (EAs) to comprehensive environmental impact statements (EISs), public participation, and the legal obligations for federal agencies.

Our expert panelists will then cover the key components of NEPA in a hydropower context and provide practical insights into navigating a NEPA process, whether that be for a FERC relicensing, license amendment or other projects with federal funding or actions.  This discussion will include an overview of the environmental justice and climate-related provisions in the NEPA Phase 2 regulations.

This comprehensive overview will demystify NEPA and prepare hydropower owners, contractors and consultants to navigate its processes with confidence.

This Panel is within the Regulatory and Policy Track at the conference. 
 
This is a 101-level discussion looking to review the subject matter for those newer to the industry and update on the state of the industry in this topic area.  This session is also a 201-level discussion for those looking to take a deeper dive into this subject matter. 

Moderator:
Elizabeth McCormick, Partner, Troutman Pepper Locke

Panelists:

• Matt Petersen, Senior Director Planning, SWCA Environmental Consultants
• Tyler Rychener, Senior Environmental Scientist/Assistant Vice President, WSP

Speaker Bios:

• Elizabeth McCormick is a partner in Troutman Pepper Locke's Washington, D.C. office, focusing exclusively on hydropower licensing and compliance matters, including licensing, relicensing, surrender/decommissioning, and compliance with evolving legal and regulatory standards.
• Matt Petersen has worked as a NEPA practitioner for 30 years. He has managed or provided NEPA oversight for over 40 EISs, including projects from Alaska to Vermont. His experience includes work with most major federal agencies and encompasses agency resource management plans, mining, oil and gas, pipelines, transmission lines, wind farms, airports, and power plants. Matt specializes in managing or providing NEPA senior advisement and alternatives facilitation for large-scale, controversial projects. His recent experience includes the Bears Ears National Monument Resource Management Plan EIS, the Dry Creek Trona Mine EIS, the Robinson Mine Expansion EIS, and the TransWest Express Transmission Line EIS. Matt has developed several open enrollment NEPA courses which he routinely teaches to industry professionals, lawyers, and agency staffs. He is a regular instructor on NEPA process, impact analysis, and resource management planning consulting for the BLM National Training Center (NTC).
• Tyler Rychener has over 15 years of experience working as a terrestrial biologist and project manager providing hydropower NEPA support to FERC. He has contributed to the preparation of approximately 50 FERC NEPA documents, including EAs and EISs for both the Division of Hydropower Licensing and the Division of Administration and Compliance. He also contributes to the development of study determinations under the IPL process and participates in meetings with applicants and resource agencies to resolve inconsistencies between proposed measures and fish and wildlife recommendations submitted to FERC under section 10(j).