The 1st annual Texas Environmental Industry Summit
on May 15, 2019 at
Two Houston Center
909 Fannin, Suite 2000
Houston, Texas
Presented by Environmental Business International, Inc., publisher of Environmental Business Journal
Co-hosted with regional partners Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP and 7 Mile Advisors
A Market Overview from EBI will present perspective and discussion on:
Oil & gas and petrochemicals have long been the dominant players in the Gulf Coast economy and while their fortune waxes and wanes, the two sectors still remains the most influential force on economic cycles and demand for environmental services in the region.
West Texas has become one of the world’s largest and highest growing centers of renewable energy development and the permitting, design and construction business continues to boom, but now long-term operation & maintenance of wind assets and grid modernization and storage options are creating opportunities for environmental companies as well.
Hurricanes and unpredictable short- and long-term weather patterns threaten private and public assets and citizens around the region and consultants, planners, designers and contractors are already building new practices in response, resilience and adaptation.
The Texas Environmental Industry Summit will convene a 1-day meeting of 50-60 senior executives in the Texas and Gulf Coast environmental industry to discuss business & market trends, policy & market drivers, and financial & strategic issues from a national, regional and state perspective.
Agenda for May 15, 2019: 909 Fannin, Suite 2000, Houston, Texas
8:30am – 9:00am Registration (light breakfast provided)
9:00am – 9:10am Welcome & Introduction – Amanda Halter, Pillsbury
9:10am – 10:30am Market Overview & State of the Industry – Grant Ferrier, Environmental Business International, Inc.
Strategic overview of the environmental industry in the U.S. and in Texas and the Gulf Coast region with market size and growth statistics for key segments and business trends impacting short- and long-term planning horizons for environmental services providers. Panelists include: Kevin Miller, Vice President, SWCA Environmental Consultants; Paul Stefan, Partner, ERM; Mike Adams, Environmental Oil and Gas Sector Lead, Terracon
10:30-10:45am Break
10:45am – 11:20am 2020 Outlook: Legal and Political Hurdles in the Environmental, Oil & Gas Industries – Michael McDonough, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
Oil & Gas faces the challenge of meeting historic levels of global market demand in the face of aggressive regulatory efforts to limit, or even eliminate, fossil fuels. A presentation and moderated discussion will highlight how recent developments in California and developments in Texas may influence future federal environmental policies affecting the industry as a whole.
11:20am – noon Energy Storage & Renewable Energy: 2020 Status and Growth to 2030 – Grant Ferrier, EBI & Robert Ross, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
Short presentation followed by Q&A. Increasingly viable storage opportunities continue to enter the market as the challenge of integrating intermittent renewable and balancing the grid challenges planners, engineers, regulators, policymakers and power companies. Wind and solar approach financial maturity, but energy storage is still in the early stages of attracting pension funds and institutional investors, which some see as key to unlocking the potential of sustainable growth.
noon – 1:00pm Lunch & Networking (boxed lunch provided)
1:00pm – 1:30pm Environmental Industry M&A and Business Trend Update
7 Mile Advisors provides an overview of environmental industry M&A and industry consolidation, current valuation levels, private equity’s impact, technology trends, strategic growth drivers, and macroeconomic conditions.
1:30pm – 2:00pm Panel: Private Equity in the Environmental Services Industry
Neil Churman will moderate a panel session with several private equity investors and operating partners from industry portfolio companies to discuss investment approaches, partnership, growth goals, and deal dynamics.
Panelists: Brad Morgan, President, Platform Partners; Rob Langley, Managing Partner, Align Capital Partners; Tony Brindisi, Partner, RTC Partners: Bryan Carruthers, CEO, Anser Advisory
2:00pm – 2:30pm Insurance and Risk-Shifting in the Environmental Industry – Vince Morgan & Tamara Bruno, Pillsbury
The presenters – attorneys who represent policyholders in insurance recovery matters – will discuss what environmental business leaders should know about insurance coverage for both environmental liability and damage to company property. Topics will include common misunderstandings and coverage gaps, strategies for maximizing insurance and risk-shifting, and recent developments in environmental insurance.
2:30pm – 2:45pm Break
2:45pm – 3:15pm Business Prospects for PFAS – Grant Ferrier, EBI
Emerging Issue: PFAS Federal and State Action – Chris McNevin, Pillsbury
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been widely used but the regulatory and legal terrain is emergent. Pillsbury will provide a big picture regulatory view and EBI will present an initial ‘site count’ estimate to lead the discussion.
3:15pm – 4:00pm The Resilience Market: Discussion Leaders: Grant Ferrier, EBI; Amanda Halter, Pillsbury
Market presentation by EBI with recent survey results, followed by panel discussion and Q&A. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Harvey in 2017 ‘response’ markets peak, but the enduring ‘resilience & adaptation’ market has been slow to take shape as cities, manufacturers, resource developers and anyone with physical assets starts to invest in risk management and plan protective measures. This session will recall the economic impacts of natural disasters and focus on contractors and consultants booking real projects driven by resiliency planning & implementation.
Panelists include: Michael Hare, Director of Government Affairs and Communications, RES
4:00pm Cocktail reception
All Texas Environmental Industry Summit attendees are invited as guests to:
Impact Investing vs. ESG Investing: Do you know the difference?
at 5.30-7pm hosted by Resilient Business Forum at the Center for Houston’s Future,
George R. Brown Convention Center, Meeting room 350 D, 1001 Avenida de las Americas, Houston, TX 77010, a 10-minute walk from Pillsbury.
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About SWCA:
SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms across the country with 32 office locations and 1000+ staff. Since 1981, we’ve helped our clients navigate the environmental compliance process. Our employee-owned firm focuses solely on environmental science, permitting and compliance. We are recognized leaders for bringing sound science and creative solutions to every project. For more information, visit www.swca.com
About RES:
With roots as a pioneer of ecological mitigation, RES enters our second decade as the nation’s only fully scaled operating company providing ecological restoration and water resource solutions. Our unique operating-company model is scaled to cover the project lifecycle from end to end, with a focus on long-term stewardship. RES serves public and private sector clients with full delivery, land-based projects that build natural resiliency into ecosystems. For more information, visit www.res.us
About Pillsbury:
Pillsbury is an international law firm with a focus on the energy, environmental & natural resources, technology, financial services, real estate & construction, and travel & hospitality sectors. In addition to earning the 2017 Law Firm of the Year Award from Chambers Women in Law for furthering women’s career progression, Pillsbury has been recognized by legal research firm BTI Consulting as one of the top 20 firms for client service. The firm and its lawyers are highly regarded for their forward-thinking approach, their enthusiasm for collaborating across disciplines and their unsurpassed commercial awareness. For more information, visit www.pillsburylaw.com.
About 7 Mile Advisors:
7 Mile Advisors (7MA) provides industry-focused Investment Banking & Advisory Services globally, with an emphasis on M&A and private capital transactions. Working at the nexus of the rapidly converging consulting, technology, and AEC sectors, 7MA helps their clients determine the right potential buyers for their businesses, transition ownership, raise capital, grow through acquisitions, and evaluate new markets. For more information, visit www.7mileadvisors.com.
