Christine Todd Whitman to serve as chair; Hunton & Williams lawyer as director WASHINGTON, June 4
WASHINGTON, June 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A consortium of water
leaders today announced the formation of The Water Policy Institute. Chaired
by former EPA Administrator and New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman,
the Institute will address water-related issues and provide information to the
public through its website. Kathy Robb, a partner in the Resources,
Regulatory and Environmental Law practice at the law firm Hunton & Williams
LLP, is the founder of the Institute and will serve as its director.
The members of the Institute are water leaders representing water
districts, multi-national companies, and energy companies who will discuss and
review current challenges affecting both global and local water issues
including supply, quality, use, wildlife and agricultural concerns, and
climate change. Members, including BP, Central Arizona Project, and GE Water,
will develop white papers on current issues and provide thought leadership on
legal and regulatory issues involving water, and collaborate to propose
sustainable solutions. The Institute's Advisory Panel is comprised of leading
water experts, among them scientists, academics, former government officials,
NGO professionals and other prominent water leaders.
"I believe water is one of the most pressing environmental issue facing
our world today. Water issues have escalated in our country and worldwide,
with record droughts, threats to water quality, and cross-border disputes over
water. The Institute provides a one-of-a-kind forum for water leaders to
consider the problems and develop new ideas and potential solutions," said
Christie Whitman, who is currently president of The Whitman Strategy Group, a
consulting firm that specializes in energy and environmental issues. "Water
issues impact all of us, from companies that deliver and manage water and
industries that require a reliable supply of quality water to operate, to
individual consumers and those who work to protect our environment. The Water
Policy Institute brings together various viewpoints in a quest for
sustainable, workable solutions," said Whitman.
"Over the years, I have seen a number of changes in the issues surrounding
water and its use, including new regulations and significant litigation
between states and disputes between countries regarding water use, supply,
allocation and quality. These and so many other water-related issues touch
upon our individual lives as well as the operations of manufacturers,
developers, suppliers, financial institutions, water districts and nearly
every industry, worldwide," said Robb. "Water is uniquely global and local.
If you are going to address water issues, you have to start at the local level
where people get their water but at the same time you must look at the global
impact. Members of the Institute, who cross industries and geographic
boundaries, will provide thought leadership on these legal and regulatory
issues and policies."
The Institute's Advisory Panel members are: Leslie Carothers, President,
Environmental Law Institute; Gabriel Eckstein, Professor, Texas Tech School of
Law; Paul Faeth, Executive Director, Global Water Challenge; David Freestone,
Senior Adviser, World Bank; Craig Manson, Professor, McGeorge School of Law;
Tracy Mehan, Principal, The Cadmus Group; Mark Van Putten, President,
Conservation Strategy LLC; and Robert Stavins, Professor, Harvard University.
"There are many critical issues surrounding water availability and use.
I'm pleased to be part of this group which will provide a important forum for
candid discussion and real-world solutions," said Robert N. Stavins, a member
of the Institute's Advisory Panel and Albert Pratt Professor of Business and
Government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, where
he directs the Harvard Environmental Economics Program. "This is an important
time for public policy affecting water supply, water demand, and water
quality. The Institute provides a key venue for industry leaders, NGO
representatives, and others to participate in informed discussions, vital to
arriving at workable and sustainable answers."
The Institute is accessible to the public at
http://www.waterpolicyinstitute.com, which provides information about water
issues; a calendar of key water meetings and conferences; news, articles,
legislative materials and speeches; and links to regulatory sites.
The Water Policy Institute, formed in May 2008, is a non-partisan,
member-driven organization of water leaders, including scientists, academics,
water users, industries, water suppliers, government entities and
non-governmental organizations. Its purpose is to collaboratively develop
innovative, sustainable solutions for water supply and quality issues, and to
provide leadership on legal, regulatory and policy issues involving water
locally, nationally, and internationally. Christine Todd Whitman is Chair of
the Institute; Kathy Robb of the law firm Hunton & Williams is Director of the
Institute. Please visit http://www.waterpolicyinstitute.com for more
information.
About Hunton & Williams LLP
Hunton & Williams provides legal services to a broad array of entities,
including corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals.
Since our establishment more than a century ago, Hunton & Williams has grown
to more than 1,000 attorneys serving clients in 100 countries from 18 offices
around the world. While our practice has a strong industry focus on energy,
financial services and life sciences, the depth and breadth of our experience
extends to more than 100 separate practice areas, including bankruptcy and
creditors rights, commercial litigation, corporate transactions and securities
law, intellectual property, international and government relations, regulatory
law, products liability, and privacy and information management. For
additional information visit our website at http://www.hunton.com.
SOURCE Hunton & Williams LLP
