Environmental Sciences Program a Success

Christopher P. Davis

The Section’s program “Environmental Sciences for the Technically Challenged” was held in Philadelphia on Nov. 7 -8, 2002, and drew 70 registrants from 22 states. This program, last held in 1999, was started in the early 1990’s by a planning subcommittee of Superfund and Hazardous Committee members, including Keith Hopson, Tina Woods, George Rusk and Christopher Davis. The day and a half program provided an overview of scientific and technical basics and recent developments in environmental chemistry, hydrogeology, field sampling techniques, remediation technologies, air and water pollution control, toxicology and risk assessment. This program, which is a low-cost, high quality alternative to similar commercial programs, was a valuable educational service both to newer environmental practitioners and far more experienced practitioners. The faculty (several of whom have been with the program since its inception), are nationally known experts in their fields, and most have served as expert witnesses in prominent environmental cases. The 2002 Environmental Sciences program was sponsored by six of the consulting firms that provided speakers (i.e., Ecology and Environment, Inc., The Johnson Company, Keramida Environmental, Inc., Roux Associates, Inc., Trillium, Inc., and URS Corporation) and the law firm of Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox LLP. The planning subcommittee hopes to continue to hold the Environmental Sciences program on an annual basis.

Christopher P. Davis (cdavis@goodwinprocter.com) practices environmental law at Goodwin Procter LLP in Boston, and serves as a vice-chair of the Superfund and Hazardous Waste Committee.