2026 Environmental Law & Policy Seminar
Environmental law and policy continue to evolve at a rapid pace, creating new challenges and opportunities for project managers, consultants, developers and public sector professionals across California.
Join us on November 5th for Nossaman’s 2026 Environmental Law & Policy Seminar. During this complimentary seminar, our attorneys will provide practical guidance on some of today's most pressing issues, including coastal regulation, housing development in the Coastal Zone, contaminated site remediation, CEQA and NEPA developments and emerging wildlife law trends. This program will deliver actionable insights to help organizations anticipate regulatory changes, manage risk and move projects forward with confidence.
Agenda
11:00 – 11:45 a.m. | Registration and Lunch
11:45 – 11:50 a.m. | Opening Remarks
11:50 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. | Shoreline Protection in the Face of a Super El Niño
This session will address two hot topics relating to coastal regulation. We'll explain the process of preparing for and pursuing emergency coastal development permits seeking immediate shoreline protection for oceanfront homes and other structures in anticipation of the powerful “Super” El Niño event anticipated to bring severe storms along the state’s coastline this Winter. We'll also discuss what to expect from the Coastal Commission on the required follow-on regular coastal permits to authorize long-term shoreline protection.
Steve Kaufmann, Partner, Nossaman LLP
12:20 – 12:35 p.m. | Unpacking California’s Latest Housing Laws in the Coastal Zone
This session will discuss challenges that residential developers face in California’s high-value coastal areas, where proposed developments must navigate both California's evolving housing production laws and the Coastal Act’s coastal resource protection requirements—areas of law that often are at odds with each other. Recent court decisions have established that housing tools like the Builder’s Remedy and streamlined approvals face limitations in the Coastal Zone, where projects still need to go through the rigorous coastal development permit process even when they might qualify for more streamlined processing in the non-coastal areas. Evolving short-term rental regulations also add complexity for Coastal Zone residential projects. This session will discuss these layers of regulation and strategies for navigating them.
Andrew Vogel, Partner, Nossaman LLP
12:40 – 1:25 p.m. | Navigating Contaminated Media: State and Federal Regulatory Interplay and Compliance Strategies
This session will examine key regulatory updates and policy developments governing contaminated media at both the state and federal levels. Discussions will focus on the interplay between overlapping oversight jurisdictions, shifting remediation standards and practical compliance strategies for affected projects.
Brian Ferrasci-O'Malley, Partner, Nossaman LLP
Willis Hon, Partner, Nossaman LLP
1:25 – 1:40 p.m. | Break
1:40 – 2:25 p.m. | NEPA Through the Looking Glass: Project Planning in an Age of Uncertainty
This session will summarize key developments in the implementation of National Environmental Policy Act, including significant court decisions and recent changes to regulations and agency practice, and provide insight on best practices for those with activities subject to compliance during a time of uncertainty.
Rebecca Hays Barho, Partner, Nossaman LLP
Jennifer Seely, Associate, Nossaman LLP
2:30 – 3:15 p.m. | CEQA: I'm Still Standing...Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
This session will cover recent case law and legislative amendments that are impacting CEQA compliance and litigation. We'll also examine the streamlining elements of the Building an Affordable California Act (Prop 45) and their case law and statutory predicates.
Liz Klebaner, Partner, Nossaman LLP
Judy Baladi, Associate, Nossaman LLP
3:20 – 4:05 p.m. | Emerging Issues in Federal and California Wildlife Law
This session will focus on legislative, regulatory and caselaw developments as well as federalism dynamics affecting the trajectory of the federal and California Endangered Species Acts.
Mary Lynn Coffee, Partner, Nossaman LLP
Paul Weiland, Partner, Nossaman LLP
4:05 – 4:10 p.m. | Closing Remarks
4:10 – 5:30 p.m. | Networking Reception
Nossaman LLP is an approved State Bar of California MCLE provider. This program is pending approval for 3.75 hours of general credit by the State Bar of California.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Laura Clumpus at lclumpus@nossaman.com.
