Denver Law Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program International Student Profile: Veronica Morelli (Peru)

Our Environmental and Natural Resources Law and Policy program is renowned for its student diversity. We'd like to highlight our international students and their very interesting backgrounds. The first one in this series is Veronica Morelli, an LLM student from Peru who has an extremely interesting background.

1. Where are you originally from? And where did you grow up? Tell us about your home city or region.

I was born and raised in Lima, Peru. Lima is the capital of Peru, located in the coast of the Pacific Ocean, and home of 9 of the 30 million total population of Peru.


2. What is your educational background? When and where did you attend school and university?

I studied Law in the Peruvian University of Applied Sciences (UPC), in Lima, Peru.


3. What experiences have you had, thus far in your career, in terms of addressing environmental or natural resources issues?

I've gained all my professional experience addressing environmental and natural resources issues at PERU LNG S.R.L, the company that built and currently operates the first LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) business in South America. The project required the elaboration and approval of several Social Environmental Impact Assessments, permitting for the use of natural resources (like water permits), land use planning and easements negotiation along PERU LNG's own 408 kilometer pipeline, port and marine permits and certifications, among others.

In addition, PERU LNG obtained a loan of $800 million from the International Development Bank, which constituted the largest loan for a private project ever made in Peru; the application for this financing required PERU LNG to meet several international environmental and social standards and guidelines, which were implemented by PERU LNG and its compliance is constantly supervised by lenders and Peruvian regulatory entities.

My work as an in house lawyer of PERU LNG has been to support the social and environmental teams in the previously described tasks.


4. What are the key environmental and natural resources issues in your home country?

Water quality, air pollution in urban areas, illegal mining and illegal timber.


5. You have chosen to study at Denver Law. Why did you make this choice and what are you hoping to learn and experience while you are here?

I decided to look for an LLM program that can expand my expertise in energy, environmental and natural resources, rather than a general LLM.

Searching for that special program, I studied very carefully the LLM options in various USA and European universities, including in my evaluation not only the academic aspects, but also the location of those universities and the living experience they offer. I concluded that Denver University was the best option to take, not only for having a highly ranked program, but also for its well defined course menu, its high quality professors, and its wonderful location in Denver, which is a quiet and beautiful city.

I'm hoping to learn more about energy and environmental law but with an international perspective. At the same time, I'm hoping to have a great living experience, enjoy the outdoors, make friends from different countries, and enjoy that experience with my husband (Eduardo Paseta) who is also an LLM student.


6. What is your personal philosophy or point of view in terms of the relationship of the environment and natural resources?

My answer is driven by my professional experience in the natural resources extractive sector. I believe that natural resources shall be developed responsibly and in harmony with the environment; the environmental and social aspects constitute the main consideration at the moment of making an investment decision, and continue being an important and core aspect during the development of the activity. Nowadays, it's inconceivable to think about the use of natural resources without having as a principal matter consideration of the environmental aspects involved in the execution of said activity.


7.Tell us something you would like us to know about your country.

Peru is a rich country in terms of natural resources and biodiversity. It is a huge scenario of altitudinal ecological zones (eco-stratas) and live species that make it one of the most important focuses of biodiversity in the world.

According to a report from the World Bank in 2007, Peru is among the 12 countries that have 70% of the biological diversity in the Earth. Peru is also one of the world centers of genetic resources of flora and fauna. For example, Peru is the only country with more than 3,000 varieties of potato, 36 species of corn and a notable variety of grains and Andean roots.

In addition, Peru has 650 species of fruits and 787 varieties of eating, medical and ornamental plants. Moreover, Peru has 128 species of domesticated native plants. From 4 of the most important crops for the alimentation of human kind (corn, wheat, rice and potato), Peru has a high genetic biodiversity in 2 of them: potato and corn. Finally, Peru has 28 of the 32 existing climates in the world, and in any of its 11 altitudinal ecological zones, new varieties of live species can still be found.


8. What is something about you that most people don't know about (for example, do you have an unusual hobby or have perhaps have had an unusual experience in your life)?

I don't have an unusual hobby nor have had an unusual experience in my life, but I guess most people don't know that I have a great ability for writing, and that one of my dreams is to write a novel someday.


9. Who are your professional role models?

My oldest sister, Marta.


10. What are your plans after completion of your degree?

In the professional aspect, and as an immediate plan, I will return to Peru and continue working at PERU LNG. In the personal aspect, my husband and I are planning to start a family and have our first daughter/son.

Colorado to Host World Renewable Energy Forum 2012: The World's Experts Come to Denver

Colorado's leadership role in renewable energy will be in the spotlight May 13-19, 2012, when the World Renewable Energy Forum (WREF) comes to Denver.

The WREF is the longest-running educational event for solar energy professionals in the United States. Now in its 41st year, the WREF program is begin developed by solar energy experts in areas such as technology, buildings, policy, professional education, workforce development, and consumer education.

The event is being presented by the American Solar Energy Society and the International Solar Energy Society, and the World Renewable Energy Network along with significant support from the Colorado Renewable Energy Society. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory will also play a large role at the conference.

Chuck Kutscher, conference program chair, said, "Our conference will not only look at how renewable energy technologies can address the environmental and energy crisis from an international perspective but also what it will take to integrate renewables into the world’s energy infrastructure on a very large scale.

"To accomplish this energy transition, we not only need to power our electric grids with renewable energy, but we also need to empower people to play active roles in our energy transition, especially in developing nations."

For more information about the WREF, please click here.

Dr. Dan Arvizu, Director of National Renewable Energy Lab and a Keynote Speaker at Denver Law Renewable Energy Summit, Featured on E&E TV Interview

Dr. Dan Arvizu, director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and one of the keynote speakers for the Renewable Energy Law & Policy Summit, to be held at Denver Law November 7, was recently interviewed on E&E TV about the status of renewable energy research in the United States as well as what is going on globally.

He noted that considerable investments are being made in renewable energy and energy efficiency programs in Germany and China. At the same time, he expressed enthusiasm for work that is taking place at NREL and said that the lab had won three Research and Development 100 Awards in 2011.

To see the full interview, please click here.

To learn more about the Renewable Energy Law & Policy Summit, please click here.

Joshua Epel, Chair of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, to Speak at Denver Law on September 22

Joshua Epel, Chair of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, will speak at Denver Law on September 22 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. in room 170. Chairman Epel's remarks are part of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law (ENRL) Program Speaker Series.

Before joining the PUC, Mr. Epel was the Assistant General Counsel at DCP Midstream, the second largest natural gas gatherer and processor in the U.S. as well as a major producer of natural gas liquids and marketer of natural gas across the nation. He was also responsible for multiple areas of operation and helped to develop the company’s climate change strategy.

Mr. Epel’s environmental work led him to be appointed to the Colorado Oil and Gas Commission, where he served as Chair.

In appointing Mr. Epel to the PUC, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper said, “Joshua Epel brings a broad range of experience in energy and environmental policy. His strong business, engineering and legal background give him a strong foundation for leading the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. Joshua is also someone with a deep social conscience and a proven record of civic engagement. He’ll be independent-minded, objective and collaborative, all qualities important for the PUC.”

Don Smith, Director of the ENRL Program, said, "It will be a great pleasure for Denver Law to welcome Chairman Epel. The Colorado PUC is centrally involved in the regulation of key state utilities. This is a particularly appropriate time for the Chairman to visit Denver Law since the PUC's work is so closely tied to services that all Coloradans depend on to sustain a vibrant and growth oriented but environmentally friendly economy. Our students will learn a great deal about the challenges of balancing the various interests that are a part of what the PUC must take into consideration."

Food will be provided at the noontime session.

John Herrick, Senior Counsel With Denver's Brownstein Firm, Named "Best Renewable Energy Lawyer" in Law Week Colorado's Barrister's Best Issue

Denver Law Adjunct Professor John Herrick has been named Colorado's "Best Renewable Energy Lawyer" in Law Week Colorado's Barrister's Best issue.

Mr. Herrick, who teaches Renewable Energy Project Finance, is Senior Counsel in the Denver office of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck and a member of the Natural Resources Group. He is working to further develop the sustainability and clean technology practice area for the firm.

As reported by Law Week Colorado, "John Herrick has extensive experience on both sides of the renewable energy spectrum. He worked as Chief Counsel for the Department of Energy's Golden office for 15 years before joining Brownstein where he's helped clients with clean energy, solar, wind and geothermal projects."

Recently Mr. Herrick was part of a Brownstein team that negotiated a $25 million deal involving the U.S. Department of Energy and a biorefinery in California.

Don Smith, Director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law and Policy Program at Denver Law, said, "John Herrick is internationally recognized for a broad spectrum of activities in renewable energy. Moreover, he is one of America's leading practitioners in assisting companies in entering into public and private partnerships in energy financing. All of us at Denver Law are thrilled with this news, and we are delighted he continues to be a big part of our renewable energy law program."

Thomas L. Sansonetti, Former U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources, Named 2012 Practitioner in Residence

The Denver Law 2012 Distinguished Natural Resources Practitioner in Residence will be Thomas L. Sansonetti, a partner with Holland & Hart. Mr. Sansonetti leads the firm's Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Practice group, which is ranked as the best natural resources practice in the country by Best Lawyers in America.

Don C. Smith, Director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law & Policy Program, said, "The Distinguished Natural Resources Practitioner in Residence Seminar is a 'capstone seminar' taught each year in the Spring Semester by a prominent natural resources or environmental law lawyer who has extensive experience in energy, resources, or environmental law work. We are delighted to welcome Mr. Sansonetti, one of America's most experienced natural resources attorneys, as next year's practitioner in residence."

According to John A. Carver Jr. Professor of Law Jan G. Laitos, who established the seminar, the focus of the Seminar is on skills training, where the skills taught are those that all lawyers need in order to have a successful career in the practice of law. Among the "how-to" skills typically addressed are: (1) how to obtain a job, either as a lawyer or as a law-trained worker; (2) how to obtain and retain clients; (3) how to work in the private sector, government sector, business sector, and in-house sector; (4) how to deal with technical or scientific matters in a legal context; (5) how to work in the litigation arena, before trial and appellate courts; and (6) how to practice or appear before administrative agencies.

From 1990 to 1993, Mr. Sansonetti was Solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior, the number three ranking position in the department. During his tenure, he signed the $1.1 billion Exxon Valdez oil spill settlement, having served as one of the six federal negotiators, and was Counsel to the Endangered Species Committee for the Spotted Owl hearings in Oregon.

Mr. Sansonetti served as the Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) of the U.s. Department of Justice from December 2001-April 2005. As one of the top leaders in the Justice Department, he was deeply involved in responding to post-9/11 events, including working with the new Department of Homeland Security. He managed a budget of $115 million and supervised 650 employees including a legal staff of 425 attorneys.

Mr. Sansonetti, who originally joined Holland & Hart in 1993, rejoined the firm's Cheyenne, Wyoming, office in 2005.

Denver Law LLM Graduates in Environmental and Natural Resources Law Talk About Their Experiences at DU, Share Advice For Prospective Students

Recent graduates of the Denver Law Environmental and Natural Resources Law and Policy Graduate Program are featured in a new series of video interviews. In the interviews, the graduates talk about their experience at DU. In addition, they offer advice to prospective students who are considering applying to study at DU.

The first graduate to be featured is Brent Burgie, a Colorado native, who earned his JD degree at the University of Indiana at Indianapolis. His video can be viewed by clicking here. While studying at Denver Law, Mr. Burgie presented a report about renewable energy incentives to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. To read more about this, please click here.

Don C. Smith, Director of the Graduate Program, said, "In many respects, those who know the program the best -- that is our graduates -- are most well positioned to talk about their entire experience, what they found to be the most valuable and enduring in terms of their studies. We constantly find that our graduates tell the most compelling stories about the wisdom of studying at DU."

Lucy Daberkow, Assistant Administrative Director of the Graduate Program, said, "These interviews will be particularly helpful for those who are thinking about applying to graduate program. The interviews are full of advice from past graduates, who provide insight into what it is like to study at Denver Law as well as guidance to prospective students."

Each month a different graduate will be featured.

To see a selection of interviews of LLM and Masters of Resource Law Studies Graduates, please click here.