On Friday, April 6, associates of Taylor Research Group (TRG) attended the 11th annual Environmental Law & Policy Annual Review Conference in Washington, D.C. Hosted by the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) and Vanderbilt University Law School, the event focused on cutting-edge legal issues in the environmental field. The conference featured the works of three authors, whose papers were selected by Vanderbilt Law students and analyzed by a panel of law professors, attorneys, industry experts, and environmental advocates.
One presentation that particularly stood out to us was Zachary C.M. Arnold’s work on financial assurance mandates, which require companies to prove that they can cover the costs of any liabilities they may incur. Their adoption, he argued, is a critical step for coastal industries vulnerable to increasingly severe and frequent natural disasters. His policy suggestions utilized lessons learned from past ecological crises, such as the costly explosion at the Arkema chemical plant after Hurricane Harvey that we featured in a previous blog post.
Aerial view of Hurricane Harvey's impact on Texas, courtesy of South Carolina's Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team. Photo by South Carolina Air National Guard via Wikimedia Commons (License)
At TRG, we believe that due diligence efforts are essential to understanding sites that have been impacted by environmental contaminants. Historical research can ensure accountability among responsible parties and clarify the contemporary legal framework. Through investigations at local, state, and federal repositories, our research practices allow clients to develop a comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand.
We thank ELI for providing this opportunity to exchange ideas and hear from forward-thinking authors.