Energy Policy in Light of a New President & Congress

Energy issues and Catastrophic Climate Change are a major focus for the incoming Obama Administration and many in the newly sworn in 111th Congress. What paths might the Administration and Congress take in these arenas? What might be the implications for the Department of Defense and the Federal Government in the near and long term? Where and how can collaboration with business, academia, media & NGOs help focus efforts for the common good?

On January 12, at our new location, the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel, The Energy Conversation had a chance to explore these issues with Joel Beauvais, a senior policy staff member of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. David Hawkins, Director of Climate Programs at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) provided comments as well. It was great event, and members were excited about the new location.

Joel Beauvais Bio

Joel Beauvais is Majority Counsel to the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, where his portfolio runs the gamut of domestic and international energy and climate issues. He is the principal drafter of H.R. 6186, the Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act ("iCAP"), a comprehensive economy-wide climate bill sponsored by Select Committee Chairman Edward J. Markey. Prior to joining the Select Committee staff, Mr. Beauvais was an associate with the Washington, D.C. office of the law firm of Latham & Watkins LLP. As a member of Latham's Environment, Land and Resources and Litigation Departments, he represented leading industry clients on a broad range of environmental, administrative law, and constitutional matters. Before joining Latham, Mr. Beauvais served as a law clerk to Judge Harry T. Edwards of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and then to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. He graduated summa cum laude from the New York University School of Law in 2002, and was a Postgraduate Fellow at the NYU Center for Environmental and Land Use Law from 2003-2004. He holds a B.A. in political science from Yale University.An .mp3 of the event is available for download here