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Group Holds Deepwater Horizon Briefing in Brussels
The Group held a briefing for the European Community on the Deepwater Horizon Incident on 23 February 2011 in Brussels. The programme, convened in cooperation with the European Commission, included discussion of implications of the Incident for practice under the EU Environmental Liability Directive. Contact us at info@NRDonline.com for additional information.
Group’s Work Cited in Key European Commission Report; Expanded Liability Under ELD Likely in 2011
On 12 October 2010, the European Commission adopted and transmitted to Parliament a report required under Article 14(2) of the Environmental Liability Directive (ELD) wherein several documents prepared by the Group are cited. The report requires the Commission to assess effectiveness of the Directive in terms of remediation and the availability of associated financial security instruments. A second Commission report also dated 12 October relating to safety of offshore oil and gas activities references the Gulf Deepwater Horizon incident and states that the Commission in 2011 will propose amendments to expand the scope of the ELD to all marine waters (vs. coastal waters only, currently under the Water Framework Directive). Contact us at info@NRDonline.com for additional information.
Group Monitoring Deepwater Horizon in US and “Red Mud” Spill in Hungary
The Group is closely monitoring all developments related to damage assessment aspects of the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf Coast of the US and the red mud spill in Hungary and related restoration/remediation of natural resources. [Note: The Group also monitors and has an extensive database dating back to 1988 on all cases and sites falling under the US NRDA and the EU ELD regimes.] The Group serves as a broad resource on these matters for its industrial company Members and Affiliates and diverse other parties concerned with these issues. including business and industry associations and practitioners in both private and public sectors pursuant to “reasonable, balanced and predictable” implementation of these regimes in actual practice and harmonization across the US, Europe and elsewhere. In this regard, the Group’s www.NRDARPracticeExchange.com and www.EUELDPracticeExchange.com websites are intended to encourage ongoing sharing of ideas, questions, solutions and more . Contributions from interested persons are invited and may be sent to info@NRDonline.com,
EU Government and Businesses Build Upon ELD Best Practices
The Group’s Fourth EU Environmental Liability Directive (ELD) Best Practices Seminar, “Advancing Best Practice Principles in ELD Implementation” held Monday, 7 June 2010 in Brussels, brought together a wide spectrum of participants representing the European Commission, over a dozen Member State governments, the industrial community, and other legal, technical and economic experts. In addition to receiving updates from the Commission and others on the continuing implementation of the ELD, recent European Court of Justice Judgments and related matters, Seminar attendees focused discussion on emerging ELD guidance prepared by Member States and the application of agreed upon ELD best practices. Moving forward, refinement of ELD best practices and related activities will continue as new information based on actual ELD cases arises. Contact us at info@NRDonline.com for further details on the Seminar and other Group activities related to ELD.
7th NRD Symposium Elevates NRDAR Practice Discussions to an Exciting New Level
The Group’s 7th Natural Resource Damages (NRD) Symposium held on October 7-8, 2009 in Fairfax, VA included participation by over 100 representatives of the industrial, trustee, government, technical, legal, economic and NGO communities. In the words of one participant, the Symposium embodied an “incredible assemblage of brilliant practitioners and icons” and elevated discussions to a level of specificity and innovation not previously seen. “The Next Generation of Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration: Constructs and Tools for Identifying and Managing Priorities and Goals” focused on moving practices forward in a manner that is consistent and predictable, while encouraging innovation and flexibility. Some key themes identified throughout the Symposium included focusing on early restoration, aligning program goals with actual practice, strengthening a science based approach to assessment and increasing opportunities for meaningful collaboration. The Group plans to engage the various groups having a stake in the outcome of NRDAR practice to move the many ideas presented at the Symposium into constructive action. For more information, contact us at info@nrdonline.com.
Group’s 3 February 2009 Expert Seminar Featured in Leading European Publications
The Group’s 3 February 2009 Environmental Liability Directive (“ELD”) Best Practices Seminar was featured in the BNA International article, “Group Calls for Guidelines on Implementing the EU's Untested Law on Environmental Liability”, and the ENDS Europe Daily article, “Implementation of EU Green Liability Law ‘Uneven’”. The Expert Seminar, “Emerging Member State Guidance and Best Practices Related to the Implementation of the EU Environmental Liability Directive”, was the third of a continuing series convened by the Group to focus on the development of legal, administrative, technical and economic “best practices” for the implementation of the Environmental Liability Directive in actual practice. Attendees at the Seminar included over 50 representatives from the European Commission, nearly 20 Member States and industry (companies and associations) as well as several legal and technical experts. As highlighted in the BNA International article, the Group has prepared "draft guidelines for EU ELD implementation" to be finalized shortly and made available to the broad European community. For more information, contact us at info@nrdonline.com.
Group Issues Press Release in its 20th Year
On October 3, 2008, the Group issued the press release, "In Its 20th Anniversary Year, Multinational Industry Group Reflects on $2 Billion in Restoration of Natural Resources and Lays Out Priorities for Future", distributed to a broad set of media contacts in the US and Europe. See Press Release.
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US News