40th Environmental Permitting Summer School

This panel will explore key strategies for environmental assessments during all phases of real estate acquisition and development, including due diligence, contract negotiation, pre-acquisition planning, and post-closing compliance. Speakers will discuss real life examples to illustrate best practices for site assessment, regulatory compliance, and environmental risk management in today’s development landscape.

The continued population growth in our State has triggered substantial challenges regarding land use, availability of water (quantity and quality), and clean, developable land with ready infrastructure. As part of an urban infill approach to preserve green lands, some of the alternatives to accommodate population growth are closed golf courses and available former agricultural land located near urban areas. However, these options present a unique set of challenges ranging from soil and groundwater contamination on and off property boundaries to comp plans changes, to administrative challenges by affected parties to land development. Another challenge is achieving environmental closure on contamination using Institutional Controls. Even in the face of these seemingly difficult challenges, opportunities to redevelop golf courses and former ag land exist. How can some of these issues be resolved? What does it take to achieve land development that is environmentally sustainable and protective of human health? The class is designed so the audience can learn to navigate the process and how some of these challenges are currently being met. The round table forum allows for plenty of audience participation and feedback.

Extremely timely and informative course will “cover the bases” from NEPA to permitting; critical environmental issues including ESA protected marine species and essential fish habitat, corals, sea turtles, and marine mammals; use of UMAM and HEA for determining mitigation requests; examples of lessons learned in dealing with and applying federal and state requirements to seaports, beach renourishment, and coastal development; discussion of emerging issues. Audience participation is encouraged!

Course updated for 2025! The panel of experts will provide an in-depth examination of watershed management as a means of comprehensively integrating a variety of planning and regulatory programs currently implemented by FDEP and the water management districts, including TMDLs, MS4s, NPDES, PLRGs, Water Quality Credit Trading, and both structural and non-structural floodplain planning and management. The discussion will also touch on the emerging role of Urban Forest Management Plans (UFMPs) as a component of green infrastructure in municipal watershed strategies. The panel will discuss practical considerations and any changes to current agency practices. Audience participation is encouraged, so bring your questions!

Two historically well- attended classes in the areas of waste cleanup and waste management regulation are now being combined to create a comprehensive “super” class that will address a multitude of current and emerging “hot topic” issues and developments in these areas with predictions and forecasts by a panel of experts on potential federal and state government regulatory responses. Those issues include projected data centers/AI-related impacts in Florida and anticipated government polices to address such impacts; updates on state PFAS legislation and regulation and their effect on waste cleanup and Florida’s solid waste management industry; anticipated significant FDEP rulemaking affecting waste cleanup (e.g., Chapters 62-788 and 62-524, F.A.C.); potential changes to waste management regulations (e.g., Chapter 62-701, F.A.C.) arenas and the regulatory consequences that may result; projected landfill and solid waste management facility capacity, and challenges in addressing Florida’s future solid waste management needs for an always increasing state population, as well as industrial solid waste management developments. Come prepared to not only learn from our panel of experts on these and related topics but to offer your own thoughts and opinions on these issues as audience participation is strongly encouraged.

Two historically well- attended classes in the areas of waste cleanup and waste management regulation are now being combined to create a comprehensive “super” class that will address a multitude of current and emerging “hot topic” issues and developments in these areas with predictions and forecasts by a panel of experts on potential federal and state government regulatory responses. Those issues include projected data centers/AI-related impacts in Florida and anticipated government polices to address such impacts; updates on state PFAS legislation and regulation and their effect on waste cleanup and Florida’s solid waste management industry; anticipated significant FDEP rulemaking affecting waste cleanup (e.g., Chapters 62-788 and 62-524, F.A.C.); potential changes to waste management regulations (e.g., Chapter 62-701, F.A.C.) arenas and the regulatory consequences that may result; projected landfill and solid waste management facility capacity, and challenges in addressing Florida’s future solid waste management needs for an always increasing state population, as well as industrial solid waste management developments. Come prepared to not only learn from our panel of experts on these and related topics but to offer your own thoughts and opinions on these issues as audience participation is strongly encouraged.

This extremely popular panel of agency staff and experts is back to discuss the latest developments regarding the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), including priority projects, obstacles, funding and how these projects may affect various stakeholders. The panel will focus on emerging issues including ecological benefits of CERP, status of funding, timelines for key projects, Lake Okeechobee and more. The panel represents a diverse cross-section of government, tribal governments, environmental and agricultural interests. The panel will be run as a round-table discussion with each speaker presenting their unique perspective regarding CERP projects across south Florida. There will be plenty of opportunity for audience engagement. Do not miss this updated and exciting panel.

Discussion of integrating regional water supply plans of local government with the plans and projects of water utilities through a prescribed planning process requiring cooperation between water management districts and local and regional water management districts and local and regional water utilities; regulatory incentives for the development of alternative water supplies; financial assistance for utilities; linking the growth management plans of local governments with the plans and projects of water utilities; applying the principles of consistency with concurrency as set forth in Florida law and implementing rules. Audience participation is encouraged.

Wetlands provide natural, sustainable, and environmentally beneficial water quality improvement. This exciting course will include a detailed overview of treatment wetland applications, design and permitting, and recent trends and innovations to address some of the state’s most complex challenges associated with surface water quality and water supply shortages. Surface water quality protection will be highlighted by how SFWMD is using treatment wetlands to restore and protect ecologically sensitive areas of South Florida. The Everglades Stormwater Treatment Areas (ESTAs) include a stringent water quality-based effluent limit (WQBEL) for phosphorus concentration. The Northern STAs (NSTAs) are constructed to reduce nutrient load for water discharging into Lake Okeechobee or the Caloosahatchee or St. Lucie Estuaries.  Water resource augmentation using treatment wetlands will be highlighted by multiple projects that reuse wastewater effluent providing multi-functional and multi-beneficial systems that protect water quality, enhance water availability, and protect public health. Recent advancements include new interpretations of the Florida Administrative Code to better target natural recharge areas for groundwater augmentation, couple treatment wetlands with groundwater recharge via injection, and include treatment intensification to provide treatment of micropollutants, including unregulated contaminants and PFAS, in potable reuse applications.

This course presents legal and practical strategies for site remediation in a variety of scenarios. Case studies will focus on creative solutions, regulatory flexibilities, and innovative technologies used to achieve site closures. A must-attend, timely, and informative course designed for active audience participation.