By Melanie Condon
The second in a three-part series of free NCSL webinars dealing with natural resources is scheduled from 3-4 p.m. Eastern time on Sept. 20.
The webinar, which will examine the benefits of reducing
food waste, is sponsored by NCSL’s
Natural Resources and Infrastructure (NRI) committee. The webinar series is a
way to further interact with NCSL members outside of the Summit and Forums.
Many of the webinars, which launched in June, explore cross-jurisdictional
issues and are coordinated with other NCSL standing committees.
The Sept. 20 webinar examining food waste, will feature Jerry Lynch, chief sustainability officer of General Mills, who will share his point of view on the economic and social benefits of reducing waste, and Sara Eckhouse of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, who will discuss the department’s recent partnerships with the private sector to reduce waste. Registration is open.
The final webinar, devoted to the process of rebuilding after a natural disaster, is scheduled from 3-4 p.m. Eastern time, Sept. 27. Both 2012 and 2013 were marked by significant natural disaster and weather related events. From the recent tornadoes in Oklahoma to Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Irene, our communities have needed serious rebuilding. Attendees will hear from a panel of experts on how legislators can engage in resilient reform efforts, including through new flood zone maps, disaster insurance programs, and other rebuilding initiatives. Registration is open.
A trio of experts on the technology of turning municipal solid waste into energy participated in the series’ initial webinar Sept. 13. Representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency the Center for American Progress and the German federal environmental agency, provided a fascinating look at the technology from both a domestic and international perspective. A recording of this webinar will soon be available at NCSL.org.
Part I of the two-part series took place in June and included three one-hour webinars on a wide-range of issues.
2013 Farm Bill
This webinar, co-hosted with the Health and Human Services Committee and the NCSL Hunger Partnership, took an in-depth look at the future of the 2013 Farm bill. Attendees heard from three expert panelists on an array of Farm Bill issues including, conservation, crop insurance and nutrition assistance programs.
Alternative Fuel Vehicles
The NRI Committee’s second webinar in the series on June 21 drove home the issue of alternative fuel vehicles and the infrastructure necessary to sustain the growing industry. A representative from UPS provided insight on the growing use of alternative fuel vehicles in private industry, and an expert from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory helped attendees understand the infrastructure needs in the states for such technology.
RESTORE Act
On June 27 the NRI Committee wrapped up Part I with a webinar examining the timely issue of efforts underway to clean up the Gulf Coast after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and how the Gulf States will use funds directed from the RESTORE Act to maintain the health of their ecosystems. Panelists from the Department of Interior and The Nature Conservancy provided useful observations of what funding streams will be available to the states, how they will be able to use such funds, and what states are already doing to protect their shores.
Archived recordings of all the webinars, as well as registration details for the remaining two webinars are available here.Melanie Condon is a policy associate for the Agriculture, Energy, Environment and Transportation Committee in NCSL’s Washington, D.C. office.
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