South Texas Wind Energy Conference
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
12 noon Opening Keynote – South Texas wind energy opportunities – onshore & offshore
The Honorable Jerry Patterson, Commissioner,
General Land Office
The Texas General Land Office controls has management responsibility for roughly 20 million acres on Texas land onshore and the land underneath the Gulf of Mexico to a distance of 10 miles seaward of the Texas coast. The Texas Land Commissioner is a statewide elected official whose title and authority actually are older (1836) than the office of Texas Governor (1845). As an independent nation from 1836-1845, Texas has unique authorities by treaty with the USA and by subsequent statutory actions. The GLO and the Commissioner are the primary permitting entity for Texas offshore wind energy development and have special responsibilities onshore for Coastal Zone Management, Public School Fund lands, Permanent University Fund lands, and more.
1:00 pm State of the Wind – Texas statewide wind energy overview
Greg Wortham – Texas Wind Energy Clearinghouse
Speaker will discuss Texas’ leadership role in wind energy operations in the Western Hemisphere and global wind energy statistics. He will also discuss benefits seen elsewhere in Texas for communities, industry, and business as critical mass is reached in various regions of the State.
1:45 pm Break
2:00 pm South Texas wind energy overview
Mannti Cummins – American Shoreline, Inc.
Speaker will provide an overview of the evolution, status, and outlook for South Texas wind energy projects – from Laredo to Corpus Christi, from San Antonio to Brownsville. He will discuss projects, pre-development issues, and unique attributes of South Texas wind energy resources and markets.
2:45 pm South Texas project case studies
South Texas wind project officials
Representatives of operational South Texas wind energy projects and projects under development across the region will present case studies of policy, development, construction, and operations issues for major South Texas wind energy projects.
4:30-6:00 pm Networking Reception on Ortiz Plaza @ Port of Corpus Christi
Join speakers, sponsors, and conference attendees for a festive seaside networking reception in the heart of the Port of Corpus Christi.
Reception by: Port of Corpus Christi
Wednesday, September 22, 1010
9:00 am Workforce development
Doug Ridge - Director of Employer Initiatives - Texas Workforce Commission - Austin
Keith Plantier - Texas Wind Energy Institute - Abilene - invited
Texas State Technical College - Harlingen - invited
Leaders from state policy, university systems, and industrial training institutions will discuss Texas workforce preparation initiatives and tailored industrial training strategies for the wind energy industry, including emerging South Texas career skills opportunities.
9:45 am Wind energy regional economic impacts
Port of Corpus Christi
Port of Brownsville-invited
Speakers will discuss industrial opportunities for the region that have evolved to service wind energy development and operations across the USA and globally for the region's ports, component manufacturers, and entrepreneurs.
10:30 am Break
10:45 am Technology Case Studies
Wind turbine generator manufacturers
South Texas wind energy projects feature several different types of wind energy turbines, including globally cutting edge technologies. representatives of turbine manufacturers will discuss the technical capabilities of their turbines, the deployment of their turbines in South Texas, and next generation turbine outlook.
12 noon Keynote Luncheon - Project Ingleside
Mark Ellison - Texas A&M University - College Station
Naval Station Ingleside is now under the management of the Port of Corpus Christi in collaboration with other leading Texas institutions. Vice Chancellor Ellison will discuss the status, magnitude, characteristics, and vision for this world class research, development, manufacturing, and conference site in Corpus Christi harbor.
1:30 pm Environmental due diligence & impact mitigation
John Sullivan - Shaw Environmental - Midland
Texas Wind Energy Clearinghouse - Environmental Committee
Jim Sinclair - Texas environmental Studies & Analysis, LLC - Kingsville
Mr. Sullivan, chair of the Environmental Committee of the Texas Wind Energy Clearinghouse will discuss one of the earliest phases of wind energy project pre-development: fatal flaw analysis and due diligence that evaluates potential site issues related to environmental considerations, cultural and historical resources, airspace clearance, and other matters. Mr. Sinclair will discuss in detail one of these issues of particular importance to South Texas projects: evaluation of potential impacts on bird populations, as well as Best Practices strategies to mitigate potential adverse avian impacts.
2:15 pm Landowner issues
Attorneys and financial specialists
Attorneys will discuss standard and unusual issues that arise in negotiations between landowners and wind energy developers, insteraction of mineral estate with surface satate, current market trend sin wind leases, and evolution of wind lease matters from oil and natural gas lease precedents. Speakers will also discuss wind energy wealth management strategies, including SEction 1031 exchanges that permit landowners to use wind income to buy addtional land with favorable tax treatment under certain conditions.
3:15 pm Break
3:35 pm Landowner observations - panel
South Texas wind energy landowners
Landowners involved in South Texas wind energy projects will provide their perspectives on wind energy issues and practices, including the stages of site evaluation, development, construction, and operations. Landowners will represent large South Texas ranchers, as well as projects that involve many landowners with smaller parcels. Landowners will discuss their experiences and decision-making strategies, in addition to interaction with other stakeholders in the regions.
4:30 pm Adjourn
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South Texas Wind Energy
Law Conference
Approximately 7.25 hours of CLE anticipated. Formal Approval pending.
Thursday, September 23, 1010
9:00-9:30 am Wind Energy 101
Attorney will discuss wind energy development operations in
Texas, USA, and globally to place South Texas operations and prospects in context. Topics will include legislative and executive policies that have advanced or hindered development, as well introduction to technology and commercial matters spurring South Texas wind energy development.
9:30-10:15 am Coastal Zone Management Plan
Attorney from the Texas General Land Office will discuss the evolution, provisions, and implications of the Coastal Zone Management Act relative to GLO obligations and wind energy development and operations.
10:15-10:35 am Break
10:35-11:15 am Case law updates
Attorneys will discuss claims, judgments, and other actions relating to litigation of wind energy issues across Texas and the USA, as well as proactive or reactive Best Practices responses by the wind energy industry.
11:15 am-12noon Environmental due diligence & impact mitigation
Environmental field experts will discuss fatal flaw analysis based on due diligence assessment of cultural resources, environmental issues, land use considerations, airspace clearance, and other matters. Special attention will be devoted to South Texas avian impact assessment and implementation of Best Practices impact mitigation strategies.
12 noon-1:00 pm Keynote Luncheon: State & Federal policy
Attorney will discuss latest actions and policy considerations by the U.S. Congress related to wind energy, including current climate change and energy policy debates, and issues anticipated to arise in the 2011 Session of the Texas Legislature.
1:00-1:15 pm Break
1:15-2:00 pm Landowner lease issues
Attorneys will discuss standard and unusual issues that arise in negotiations between landowners and wind energy developers, interaction of mineral estate with surface estate, current market trends in wind leases, and evolution of wind lease matters from oil and natural gas lease precedents.
2:00-2:15 pm Break
2:15-3:00 pm Payments in lieu of taxes & limitations of value
Attorneys will discuss Texas constitutional and statutory discretion and limitations relative to local ad valorem taxation treatment of prospective and operational wind energy projects by county governments and public school districts.
3:00-3:45 pm Wind energy project finance
Attorneys will discuss wind energy development from the perspective of the project developer and lenders, noting risk allocation, evolving market conditions, and other lender considerations.
3:45-4:30 pm Nodal markets & power purchase agreements
Attorneys will discuss power purchase agreements, prospective nodal market design within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), and special considerations relevant to the South Texas marketplace and South Texas wind resource characteristics.
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