Newswise — Legal experts and government officials will discuss the possibilities and challenges of implementing statewide sustainable development initiatives at the municipal level during the 2023 Edwin L. Crawford Program on Municipal Law at Albany Law School on Friday, November 17, at 10 a.m. in the Dean Alexander Moot Courtroom.

“Local governments are seeking education and accurate information about statewide budget initiatives and existing laws concerning sustainable development,” said Hon. Leslie E. Stein '81 (Ret.), Director of Albany Law’s Government Law Center. “Our goal is to ensure that local governments have the information and resources that they need to implement sustainability initiatives that help them meet statewide goals and benefit the communities they serve.”

The program will examine how state initiatives impact local governments, the role of local governments in implementing them, existing sustainability initiatives in municipalities across the state, and the future of local action around sustainable development. The program includes a keynote address by Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

Two panel discussions will address the role of local government in building decarbonization and investing in renewable energy, respectively.

Panelists include:

• Elizabeth Bough Martin — Mayor of the Village of Chittenango, New York

• Susanne DesRoches — Vice President, Clean and Resilient Buildings, NYSERDA

• Malak Nassereddine — Senior Manager, New York Utility and Regulatory Policy, Building Decarbonization Coalition

• Niki Armacost — Mayor of the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson, New York

• Anthony Fiore — Chief Program Officer, NYSERDA

• Madison Hertzog — New York City Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice

Panel moderators include:

• Prof. Keith Hirokawa — Distinguished Professor of Law, Albany Law School

• Javid Afzali ’12 — Partner, Harris Beach, PLLC

This free event is open to the public, includes lunch, and offers Continuing Legal Education credit for practicing attorneys. Attendees may join in-person or online via Zoom. Registration is required to attend.The Government Law Center established the Edwin L. Crawford Memorial Lecture on Municipal Law in 1996 to honor the memory of Edwin L. Crawford, former executive director of the New York State Association of Counties. The program strives to educate and promote dialogue on important and timely issues affecting local governments.

Registration: https://alumni.albanylaw.edu/s/977/21/1col.aspx?sid=977&gid=1&pgid=4265&cid=9021&ecid=9021&crid=0&calpgid=2100&calcid=7315