Miller Canfield Climate Change Attorney Sees Opportunity in Expected Economic Recovery Package
Mark J. Bennett, senior counsel at the law firm of Miller Canfield and leader of the firm’s Climate Change Practice Team, will be speaking throughout the U.S. on various climate change-related topics in the first few months of 2009 with a focus on the expected federal economic stimulus package in the climate change area.
The proposed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 contains over $54 billion in climate-change related funding with an emphasis on immediate investment in “ready to go” programs involving renewable energy, green building retrofits as well as energy-efficiency and clean energy related projects.
Bennett sees wide spread growth opportunities for companies in the real estate and engineering industries as well as the myriad of professionals who support them, including engineers, attorneys and finance professionals.
“While current economic conditions present many challenges, one bright spot continues to be the increase in government economic incentives and anticipated direct investment related to green building and sustainable development,” he said. “In the real estate sector, these incentives can create near term cash flow and asset value enhancement on existing properties by creating operating efficiencies and offsetting planned capital expenditures. The federal government’s investment focus in this area is likely to bring new economies of scale to the commercial sector as green building practices and supply chains experience rapid near-term growth.”
Bennett will speak on the following climate change-related topics at these programs:
- “Sustainability Due Diligence: A Review of Evolving Industry Regulatory Trends and Emerging Standards,” at the Environmental Bankers Association, January 19-20, 2009, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
- “Green Building & Sustainable Development: The New Competitive Advantage,” at the State Bar of Michigan-ICLE Program Homeward Bound Series, February 5, 2009, in Plymouth, Michigan.
- “Carbon Due Diligence,” at the Green Building Finance & Investment Forum West, March 2-4, 2009, in San Francisco, California. At Miller Canfield, Bennett focuses his practice on climate change, green building and sustainable development, carbon finance, real estate development, environmental risk management, environmental due diligence, LEED® certification and government economic incentives. He received his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.