EBC Renewable Energy Program
Low-Impact Hydropower - A New Paradigm
Friday, October 25, 2013
Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
Agenda
8:00 a.m.
Welcome – Daniel Moon, President and Executive Director, EBC
8:10 a.m.
Introduction and Summary of Recent Legislative Initiatives
 Carol Wasserman, Program Chair and Moderator
Senior Manager Environmental & Regulatory Affairs
New England Hydropower Company, LLC
8:30 a.m.
First Funding Round: Update on Massachusetts Dam Safety and the Dam
and Seawall Repair and Removal Fund
 William A. Gode-von Aesch, Director
Flood Control Management and Navigational Operations Section
Bureau of Engineering, MassDCR
8:55 a.m.
Implementing New RPS Policies and Programs for New, Low-Impact
Hydropower Projects
 Elizabeth Mahony, Legal Counsel, MassDOER
9:20 a.m.
Permits, Pilots, and Environmental Performance Standards Affecting New,
Low-Impact Hydropower Project Development
 Lealdon Langley, Director, Wetlands & Waterways Program, MassDEP
10:00 a.m.
Networking Break
10:30 a.m.
Environmental Issues and Considerations Raised by Low-Impact
Hydropower Development
 Stephen Long, Director of Government Relations
The Nature Conservancy
 Caitlin Peale, Staff Attorney, Conservation Law Foundation
11:00 a.m.
Day in the Life: Licensing a Small Hydropower Project
 Michael Kerr, Co-Founder & Managing Principal
New England Hydropower Company, LLC
 Sarah Faldetta, Senior Project Manager
New England Hydropower Company LLC
11:30 a.m.
Questions to Presenters
12:00 p.m.
Adjourn
PROGRAM CHAIR
Carol Wasserman, Principal
Regulatory and Environmental Affairs
New England Hydropower Company, LLC
(339) 293-3157 // carol@nehydropower.com
Carol Wasserman is a Principal and Senior Manager at New England Hydropower Company,
LLC (NEHC), where she manages the permitting, regulatory policy and analysis, and
environmental compliance group for this developer of innovative, low-impact hydropower
technology. Carol has an extensive background in environmental and energy law,
environmental impact assessment, legislative policy and collaboration. She takes an
interdisciplinary approach to public policy issues and works to build consensus and achieve
positive environmental results for NEHC development initiatives, municipalities, and natural
resource agencies.
For 10 years, Carol was a Principal Scientist at ESS Group, Inc., where her work encompassed
strategic planning and development of renewable energy projects, including wind, hydrokinetic
and biomass projects; environmental policy development for private and public clients and
regional transmission organizations; and resource plan development and management for state
and federal agencies.
Prior to her employment at ESS, Carol served as the Deputy General Counsel for the
Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, as an Assistant General and Regional
Counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, as a Biologist for the
Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, and as a Senior Assistant Regional
Counsel for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region One.
Carol received her B.S. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, her J.D. from
New England Law, her M.S. from Northeastern University, and her M.P.A. from Harvard’s
Kennedy School of Government.
SPEAKERS
Sarah Faldetta, Senior Project Manager
New England Hydropower Company, LLC
100 Cummings Center, Suite 438N, Beverly, MA 01915
(508) 494-6248 // Sarah@nehydropower.com
Sarah Faldetta is Senior Project Manager at New England Hydropower Company, where she is
leading multiple small hydropower projects through the field assessment and permitting phases
toward construction. A geologist by trade, Sarah started her career in Houston in the petroleum
industry as an exploration geologist with Cities Service, Inc. and Occidental Petroleum.
Transitioning back to her roots in New England, Sarah joined GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. and
then ESS Group, Inc., working in environmental geology, and permitting and project
management of large-scale energy projects.
Sarah holds degrees from Harvard College, the University of Houston (MBA), and Boston
University (master, geology). Sarah is a Certified Professional Geologist with the American
Association of Professional Geologists.
William A. Gode-von Aesch, Director
Flood Control Management and Navigational Operations Section
Bureau of Engineering
Department of Conservation and Recreation
(617) 727-0488 // william.gode@dcr.ma.us
Michael Kerr, Co-Founder & Managing Principal
New England Hydropower Company, LLC
100 Cummings Center, Suite 438N, Beverly, MA 01915
(978) 360-2547 // Michael@NEHydropower.com
Michael’s leadership has guided New England Hydropower Company through its founding. He
and co-founder RJ Lyman envisioned what could be done with the small-scale hydro
opportunity. Michael has leveraged his experience with venture-backed technology companies
for the clean tech, software and industrial product markets to develop NEHC’s model. His
extensive research into low-impact hydro in the UK has demonstrated its application to the New
England region. Michael spent his early career with Shell Oil in London. He has since worked in
Europe, the U.S. and Latin America for United Technologies Corporation, Wang Global and
Getronics. He has served in many capacities ranging from divisional CFO to President to these
and other smaller enterprises. Michael holds a B.A. in Business from Thames Valley University
(London) and is a Chartered Management Accountant (CGMA).
Lealdon Langley, Director
Wetlands and Waterways Program
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
One Winter Street Boston, MA 02108
(617) 574-6882 // lealdon.langley@state.ma.us
Lealdon Langley is the Director of the Wetlands and Waterways Program of the Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Protection where he is responsible for the statewide
implementation of the Wetlands Protection Act, the Public Waterfront Act and Section 401 of the
Clean Waters Act. Lealdon has worked at DEP for over 25 years having served as Program
Director for Watershed Permitting Program overseeing Title 5, the Groundwater Discharge
Permit Program, Water Management Act, Residuals and NPDES; as the Manager of the Water
Management Act Program and in the Southeast Region's Wetlands and Waterways Program.
Lealdon holds a B.A. in Biology from Hendrix College, and studied at the Gulf Coast Research
Laboratory. Lealdon holds a M.A from the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies at
Boston University where he studied environmental science and public policy.
Steve Long, Director of Government Relations
The Nature Conservancy
99 Bedford St., 5th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
(617) 227-7017 // slong@tnc.org
Steve Long works closely with federal and state elected officials, governmental agencies and
conservation and business partners on conservation public policy and funding.
Accomplishments while at TNC include leading the successful efforts to establish a tax incentive
for land conservation and enactment of the dam and coastal infrastructure law. Before joining
The Nature Conservancy over six years ago, Steve worked for the Massachusetts Department
of Environmental Protection on recycling market development and Massachusetts state senator
Stan Rosenberg as legislative director. Education: B.A. Political Science, Ithaca College, M.A.
Political Science/Public Policy, Rutgers University.
Elizabeth Mahony, Legal Counsel
Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 1020, Boston, MA 02114
(617) 626-7323 // elizabeth.mahony@massmail.state.ma.us
Elizabeth Mahony is Legal Counsel for the Department of Energy Resources. DOER
implements energy policies that ensure an adequate supply of reliable, affordable and clean
energy for the businesses and residents of Massachusetts. Elizabeth represents DOER in
various proceedings before the Department of Public Utilities as well as assisting DOER
Commissioner, Division Directors and staff, including Dwayne Breger’s Division of Renewable
and Alternative Energy, in regulatory matters. Prior to working at DOER, Elizabeth was
Committee Counsel to Senator Benjamin B. Downing, chair of the Telecommunications, Utilities
and Energy Committee, where she helped draft the 2012 Energy bill, An Act relative to
Competitively Priced Electricity. Elizabeth holds a B.A. in Communications – Public Relations
from Marist College and a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School.
Caitlin Peale, Staff Attorney
Conservation Law Foundation
62 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02110
(617) 350-0990 x1770 // Cpeale@clf.org
Caitlin Peale is a Staff Attorney for CLF Massachusetts working in the Clean Energy & Climate
Change and Clean Water & Healthy Forest programs. Caitlin works on a number of issues
related to CLF’s Coal Free New England 2020 initiative and protection of New England’s waters.
Caitlin holds a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law and a B.A. in Government from
Colby College.
Upcoming EBC Programs
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Oct 29: EBC PCB/TSCA Sub-committee Meeting
Oct 29: EBC Board Spotlight Program with Leo Roy and Ralph Child
Oct 31: Joint Committee Meeting with Author John Rogers
Nov 1: Ocean & Coastal Resources Conference, Update on Dredging
Nov 5: RI Chapter Program, China’s Energy and Environmental Programs
Nov 8: Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste at WWTPs
Nov 12: Site Remediation Programs, Advances in Remediation Tools
Nov 15: Sustainability Program, Achievements in Reporting
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