38th Environmental Permitting Summer School

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? This is a timely topic, and the class was standing-room only in 2023. 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.