Wonks on the Web

Dan Slone: Sustainability

Dan Slone is the co-team leader for the firm's Environmental Solutions practice area and the vice-chairman of the Real Estate and Environmental Department. He combines extensive experience in environmental issues, land use issues and sophisticated business and real estate transactions.

Dan's practice is both national and international. He works on permitting large-scale projects, including power facilities, solid waste management facilities and towns. He works on mining issues in the U.S. and internationally. Dan has assisted clients in dealing with wetland permitting and enforcement for over a decade. He has also developed an unusual practice focusing on "green" and responsible development and a related focus on the converged communication, power and essential services industries.

For many years Dan has helped clients identify "green" approaches that would improve their projects and increase project acceptability with neighbors and regulators. He has represented the environmentally progressive town of Haymount, Virginia for almost 10 years, and has worked for DOE and FEMA writing environmental codes for new Midwestern towns. He represents the new town of Coffee Creek Center, Indiana, another development pushing the envelope for energy efficiency and sustainable design. He represents the Cape Charles Sustainable Technology Industrial Park Development Authority, an eco-industrial development in Virginia, and led the team that developed its innovative Covenant & Restrictions.

Dan represents developers of eco-industrial parks in Mississippi, Illinois and Indiana as well. He has helped develop and create green programs for new communities, and he has facilitated regional discussions of complex environmental issues. He is counsel for the Virginia Housing and Environmental Network, and the Sustainable Washington Alliance; he is national counsel for the Washington based organization, Greening America.

Publications  

• "Mixing New Urban and Sustainable Development Practices," Urban Land Institute Richmond (May 2002)
  

• "An Argument for Sustainable New Urbanism," New Urban Post III, (March 2002)
  

• "Overcoming Impediments to Implementing New Urbanism," New Urban News, (April/May 2001)
  

• "Civano - Oasis or Mirage?," Council Report (March/April 2001)
  

• "The National Historic Preservation Act -- What a Developer Needs to Know," Land Development, (Spring-Summer 1997)
  

• "Wetlands Reform: Is the Tide Turning?" Probate & Property (July/August 1996) American Bar Association
  

• "Open for Business: The Legislative Framework of the Republic of Kazakhstan," Caspian Crossroads (Summer/Fall 1995)
  

• "Haymount and the Developer's Lament", National Wetlands Newsletter (March/April 1995)
  

• "The Birds and the Trees: What Every Developer Should Know About the Endangered Species Act," Probate & Property (March/April 1995) American Bar Association
  

• "The Planner as Warrior (Together with an Argument for an Asterisk)," Making Towns; Principles and Techniques (Publication for the University of Maryland, January 1995)
  

• "Haymount: Advancing Environmental and Social Agendas Through Development," Virginia Chapter, American Planning Association (November 1994)
  

• "Haymount: A Vision of a Real Town," Virginia Land Use Digest (Winter 1994)
  

• "Navigating the New Wetlands Regulations," The Practical Real Estate Lawyers 73 (May 1993)
  

• "Keeping Contaminated Properties in Commerce," The Practical Real Estate Lawyer 21 (May 1991)
  

• "Real Estate Contaminated by Off-Site Sources," Probate & Property (September/October 1990) American Bar Association
  

• "Assessing Off-Site Groundwater Contamination Sources in Real Estate Transactions," 2 Hazardous Material Control 34 (May 1989)
  

• "The Michigan Environmental Protection Act: Bringing Citizen - Initiated Environmental Suits into the 1980's," 12 Ecology Law Quarterly 271 (1985)

Speaking Engagements

Responsible Development

• "Environmentally Sensitive Development," Urban Land Institute, Washington, D.C. (April 30, 2002)

• "Case Studies: Haymount, Virginia and Coffee Creek Center, Indiana," a Green Communities Forum, sponsored by EDAW, Inc., Tucson, AZ (April, 2002)

• "Melding New Urban and Sustainable Development," University of Richmond Lecture Series, Richmond, Virginia (February, 2002)

• "Ethical Considerations in Growth Management, Smart Growth and Regional Planning," Land Use Institute: Planning, Regulation, Litigation, Eminent Domain and Compensation at the 14th Annual ALI-ABA Course of Study, Chicago, Illinois (August 2001)

• "Permitting a New Urbanism Project: A Case Study of Coffee Creek Center, Chesterton, Indiana," Land Use Institute: Planning, Regulation, Litigation, Eminent Domain and Compensation at the 14th Annual ALI-ABA Course of Study, Chicago, Illinois (August 2001)

• "Private Space, Public Life," CNU IX-From Neighborhood to Region, New York, New York (June 9, 2001)

• "Cracking the Codes: CNU's New Urbanism Land Development Regulations Project," CNU-IX-From Neighborhood to Region, New York, New York (June 9, 2001)

• "Environmentally Sensitive Development: Establishing a Regulatory Framework," Virginia's Sustainable Future II, Richmond, Virginia (June 7, 2001)

• "Obstacles and Opportunities," Walkable Community Design Symposium (in conjunction with Sustainable Atlanta Roundtable), Atlanta, Georgia (June 1, 2001)

• "Environmentally Sensitive Development," Urban Land Institute, Washington, D.C. (April 20, 2001)

• Developing New Urbanist Communities - "Codes & Permitting," Urban Land Institute, Toronto, Ontario (April 3-5, 2001)

• Make Sustainability Your Business - "Codifying Green Buildings and Places," Greenprints 2001, Atlanta, Georgia (March 14-16, 2001)

• Making Dollars and Sense of Eco-Industrial Development - "Opportunities Abound," The Delta Institute and the Work and Environment Initiative at Cornell University Workshop, Chicago, Illinois (December 7-8, 2000)

• "A New Urbanism for the New Economy: New Opportunities and Old Obstacles," National Town Builder's Association, Atlanta, Georgia (November 2-4, 2000)

• "Sustainable Economic Development Project," Virginia Institute for Economic Development, Blacksburg, Virginia (September 26, 2000)

• "Growth Management - Do Virginia Local Governments Have the Tools They Need?," Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Inc., Charlottesville, Virginia (September 16, 2000)

• "Brownfield Development, Eco-Industrial, Smart Parks and Other Approaches Where Public Power Communities Have Advantages," American Public Power Association's Strategic Marketing and Economic Development Workshop, Seattle, Washington (July 11, 2000)

• "Creating New Places While Preserving the Environmental Amenities," Section of Real Property and Trust Law 11th Annual Spring 2000 Symposia, American Bar Association (March 23, 2000)

• "The Practice of Environmentally Sensitive Development," Urban Land Institute, Shepherdstown, West Virginia (March 21, 2000)

• "Eco-Industrial Codes, Covenants and Legal Issues," Michigan and Ohio Eco-Industrial Conference and Roundtable, Detroit, Michigan (March 14-15, 2000)

• "A Whack on the Side of the System - Encouraging Sustainable Development: Regulatory Approaches," Virginia's Sustainable Futures Conference, Richmond, Virginia (June 16-18, 1999)

• "Local Codes - How to Change the Rules of the Game," Congress for the New Urbanism (VII), Milwaukee, Wisconsin (June 3-5, 1999)

• "Sustainable Design - From Theory to Practice," University of Maryland School of Architecture (April 28, 1999)

• "Industrial and Commercial Stability in the Commonwealth," Environment Virginia '99, Lexington, Virginia (April, 21-22, 1999)

• "Developing New Urbanist Communities, The Nuts and Bolts of Town Planning," Urban Land Institute, Chicago, Illinois (April 7-9, 1999)

• "Summit—Toward a Sustainable Chesapeake," Center for Chesapeake Communities, Baltimore, Maryland (March 21-23, 1999)

• "Green Development in Virginia," Catonsville Community College (February 18, 1999)

• Green Development in Virginia," Urban Land Institute (February 4, 1999)

• "Proffers, Covenants and Restrictions and Road Restrictions," Virginia Planning Commissioners Institute (October 12, 1998)

• "Rural Character and Road Construction," Rural Planning Caucus of Virginia (October, 1998)

• "Getting Permits," Techniques in Traditional Neighborhood Development, Urban Land Institute (June 11, 1998)

• "Getting Permits," University of Miami, School of Architecture (January 30, 1998)

• "Getting Alternate Planning Strategies Off the Paper and Out of the Ground," Building Virginia (American Institute of Architects, Virginia Chapter) (November 13, 1997)

• The Mayors Institute on City Design: Northeast (Resource Team), 1997

• "Report Card on the New Urbanism - A Real Solution to Automotive Overload," Building Virginia (American Institute of Architects, Virginia Chapter) (November 7, 1996)

• "Putting Wisconsin Communities Back on their Feet: Planning for Walkable, Transit Friendly Neighborhoods," Citizens for a Better Environment (October 7, 1996)

• "The Yin and Yang of an Environmental Agenda in the New Urban Setting," Third Congress for the New Urbanism (February 18-20, 1995)

• "Getting Nontraditional and Sustainable Planning Programs Through Traditional Zoning Laws," Building Virginia (American Institute of Architects, Virginia Chapter) (November 4, 1994)

• "Implementation: the Private Sector," Second Congress for the New Urbanism (May 20-23, 1994)

• "The Zoning Board Meets the Visionary: Regulatory Change from New Development Models," Building Virginia (American Institute of Architects, Virginia Chapter) (November 4, 1993)

• "Assembling the Neotraditional Town with an Eye Toward Nature," The Fourth National Conference on American Planning History/Fifth International Conference Planning History Group (November 9, 1991)

• "Environmentally Responsible Development Near Sensitive Areas," The Second Annual Joint Conference: Environmental Aspects of Corporate and Real Estate Matters, American Bar Association (June 5, 1991)

Wetlands, Endangered Species and Historic Resources

• "Identifying and Resolving Environmental/Landuse Issues in Real Estate Tranactions," American Bar Association 13th Annual Spring CLE and Committee Meeting,Washington, DC (April, 2002)

• "Hot Topics: Gourmet Environmental - The Appetizer Course," American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law (May, 1999)

• "Hot Topics: Update on Developments in Wetland Regulations, Endangered Species Regulations and Historic Resources Regulations," American Bar Association Annual Meeting - Canada (August, 1998)

• "Department of Interior Regulations & Takings," American Bar Association 8th Annual Spring CLE and Committee Meeting (May 1997)

• "Historic Preservation: How to Insure Your Project Isn't History," National Association of Homebuilders (January 26, 1997)

• "Wetlands Mitigation Alternatives," American Bar Association Annual Meeting (August 5, 1996)

• "ABA Wetlands for Real Estate Lawyers," Environmental Realty Confronts the Real Estate Lawyer, American Bar Association Real Property and Trust Law Section First Annual Environmental Conference (November 4, 1994)

• "Monster in the Marsh: 106 Historic Resources Review in the Nationwide Permitting Process," Wetlands Permitting: Quagmire for the Unwary, American Bar Association Annual Meeting (August 8, 1994)

• "Environmental Issues in Local Land Use Decisions," Virginia State Bar Presentation (June 17, 1994)

• "Wetlands Booby Traps: The New Nationwides, Permit Revocation and Subsequent Owner Liability," Federal Regulation of Wetlands: An Overview, American Bar Association Conference (August 9, 1992)

• "Legal Aspects of Wetlands," Virginia Association of Surveyors Conference (July 24, 1992)

• "Nationwide Permits," Wetlands Permitting Workshop (Espey, Huston & Associates) (December 11, 1991)

• "Land Use, Development and Permitting," Emerging Environmental Issues in Virginia (The Cambridge Institute) (February 1991)

• "Wetlands and Water Quality Regulations: Designing in a Changing Regulatory System," Building Virginia (American Institutes of Architects, Virginia Chapter) (October 18, 1990)

• "Laws Regulating Development in Wetlands," Land Development Regulation Seminar (Kidde Consultants) (September 21, 1989)

• "Impact of Wetlands Regulations," Tidewater Builder's Association Conference (September 14, 1989)

Contamination Issues

• "Pitting Landlords vs. Tenants: Rights, Remedies, Defenses and Liabilities of Landlord and Tenants in Their Escalating Environmental Wars," American Bar Association (January 23, 1998)

• "How Environmental Issues Affect the Valuation Function," The Center for Business Intelligence, LLC (December 17, 1997)

• "Landlord and Tenant Liabilities," Environmental Law Seminar, Sponsored by Law Education Institute, Inc. and the Bureau of National Affairs, Inc., (March 3, 1994; January, 1995)

• Keeping Contaminated Properties in Commerce," The Contaminated Property Transaction - Innovative Approaches to Making the Deal Work, American Bar Association Conference (August 5, 1990)

• "Environmental Concerns of Owners," Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (Virginia Chapter) Annual Conference (February 27, 1988)

General

• "Interstate Movement in Solid Waste," Smith's Research & Ratings Review Conference (February 3, 2000)

• "Solid Waste Experience," Annual Conference Solid Waste Association of North America (Virginia Chapter) Reno, Nevada (October 21, 1999)

• "Garbage Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace," Annual Conference Solid Waste Association of North America (Virginia Chapter) New Orleans, Louisiana (July 29, 1999)

• "Leveraging Redevelopment by Rewriting the Rules", Homebuilders Association of Maryland, 2nd Annual Maryland Conference on Growth Management, Columbia, Maryland (June 23, 1999)

• Regulatory, Environmental and Land Use Concerns - "It's Not All Fun and Games: Legal Issues Facing the Resort and Amusement Industry in the 90's," Kingsmill Resort (October 10, 1996)

• "Negotiating International Mineral Agreements - The Host Government Perspective," National Mining Association (Mining Lawyers Conference) (October 14, 1995)

• "Environmental Issues in Inside the Fence Projects," Inside the Fence - Outside the Balance Sheet, Sponsored by McGuire, Woods, Battle & Boothe, L.L.P. and CRSS Capital (June 10, 1994)

• "Privatization: Options and Answers," Association of Public Works Authorities (VA, DC and MD) Annual Conference (May 13, 1993)

• "Planning for Electric Growth: State and Regional Issues Florida, Virginia, Texas, and the Southeast," Sponsored by McGraw-Hill, Inc.'s Energy Group (February 17, 1993)

• "Legal Aspects of Movement and Disposal of Solid Waste," Annual Conference Solid Waste Association of North American (Virginia Chapter) (November 5, 1992)

• "Privatization: The Negotiating Process," Local Government Officials Waste Management Workshop (Virginia Association of Counties) (June 23, 1992)

• "Legal Aspects of Environmental Assessments," Environmental Assessments Seminar (Malcolm Pirnie Engineering) (October 2, 1989)

• "Environmental Concerns of Owners," Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (Virginia Chapter) Annual Conference (September 23, 1989)

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association

• Committee Chairman, Environmental Land Use Committee of the Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section

• Natural Resources, Energy and Environment Section

Virginia Bar Association

• Land Use Section

• Environment Section

Richmond Bar Association

• Environmental Law Section

American Institute of Architects

American Society of Landscape Architects

Congress for the New Urbanism (charter member and General Counsel)

Virginia Association of Wetland Professionals (1994 and 1995 Editor of Newsletter and Member of Board)

BNA's Environmental Due Diligence Guide (Board of Advisors)

Virginia Housing and the Environment Network (General Counsel)

Greening America (General Counsel)

Sustainable Washington Alliance (General Counsel)

U.S. Green Building Council

Columns

April 21: The Green Coast. Northampton County on the Eastern Shore is reinventing itself as an environmentally and economically sustainable community.

- 2002 -

December 2: Is Sustainability an Unnatural Act? It's human nature for home sapiens to expand. But the species may push way past its ecological limits unless it can make sustainable practices a way of life.

September 16: What Would Grandma Do? Even without understanding the larger issues involved, Grandma Slone was a model for “sustainable development.”