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    Committee Awards

    Committees are recognized for their exceptional work during a luncheon at the Section's Fall Conference each year. Committees may be nominated in one or more of the six award categories outlined below.

    Committee award nominations for the 2024-2025 ABA year are accepted via this form. Nominations are due no later than Friday, June 20, 2025.

    What are the award categories?

    Best Committee: This award recognizes overall outstanding achievement by a Substantive Committee. A “Best Committee” distinguishes itself by its strong leadership; active engagement of members; cultivation of future leadership; production of membership benefits; innovation in projects or products; engagement with Section leadership and other Substantive Committees or Special Committees; and timely fulfillment of administrative requirements.

    Best Membership Engagement: This award recognizes a Substantive Committee that consistently and effectively connects with its membership during the ABA year through various means including email, ABA Communities, letters, in-person and remote meetings, committee networking events, and social media to deliver timely, relevant information and opportunities to connect with other members and to participate in committee activities.

    Best Webinar/Podcast: This award recognizes the Substantive Committee that produces the best CLE or non-CLE webinar or podcast during the ABA year. The best webinar or podcast may be distinguished by one or more of the following qualities to be identified by the nominator: innovate presentation style, timeliness in addressing a new or emerging issue, attendance, collaboration with other entities inside or outside of the Section, or quality of speakers.

    Best Written Content: This award recognizes a Substantive Committee the consistently produces quality original written content throughout the ABA year. The award recognizes an overall body of work which may include articles, postings to ABA Communities, and the Year in Review chapter. As the Year in Review chapter is required of all Substantive Committees, a Substantive Committee must produce a Year in Review chapter to be considered for the Best Written Content award.

    Outstanding Work on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: This award recognizes a Committee that stands out through its excellence in promoting the SEER and ABA values of diversity, equity, and inclusion by creation and delivery of content related to those goals and related issues such as environmental justice, notable collaborations within or outside the Section, and increased recruitment, retention, and engagement of a diverse membership within the Committee and thus to the Section’s capacity to serve such members.

    Special Achievement Award: This award recognizes an outstanding effort or achievement by a Substantive Committee during the ABA year. This may include a Substantive Committee that has shown significant improvement, a Substantive Committee that has undertaken an innovative committee activity, or another achievement to be identified by the nominator.

    How do I nominate a committee for one of these awards?

    The nomination form for 2024-2025 is available here through June 20, 2025.

    Who is eligible for this award?

    These awards recognize outstanding work from the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources substantive committees. Committee members and leaders are welcome to nominate their committee.

    What is the award process?

    The Section's governance committee will review all nominations received and will make a recommendation to the Section Council for approval.

    When are the awards bestowed?

    Committee awards are presented during the Section's annual Fall Conference.

    Past Award Recipients

    Please note that some award names/categories have changed over the years.

    2023-2024

    Best Committee: Pesticides and Chemicals Committee

    Best Membership Engagement: Oceans and Coasts Committee

    Best Webinar/Podcast: Indigenous Law Committee and Science and Technology Committee

    Best Written Content: Forest Resources Committee

    Outstanding Work on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Indigenous Law Committee

    Special Achievement Award: In-House Counsel Committee and Environmental, Social, Governance, and Sustainability Committee

    2022-2023

    Best Committee: Endangered Species Committee

    Best Membership Engagement: Renewable, Alternative, and Distributed Energy Resources Committee

    Best Webinar/Podcast: Environmental Litigation and Toxic Torts Committee

    Best Written Content: Forest Resources Committee

    Outstanding Work on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Public Land and Resources Committee

    2021-2022

    Best Committee: Native American Resources Committee

    Best Membership Engagement: Marine Resources Committee

    Best Webinar/Podcast: Nuclear Law Committee

    Best Written Content: Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Ecosystems Committee

    Outstanding Work on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Native American Resources Committee

    Special Achievement Award: International Environmental and Resources Law Committee

    2020-2021

    Best Committee: Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Ecosystems Committee, Chair: Chris Carr

    Best Articles: Superfund and Natural Resource Damages Litigation Committee, Chair: Carolyn McIntosh

    Best Communications: Mining Committee, Co-Chairs: Almira Moronne and Kate Tipple

    Best Program: Renewable, Alternative, and Distributed Energy Resources Committee, Co-Chairs: Roger Feldman and Christina Reichert

    Phoenix Award: Forest Resources Committee, Co-Chairs: Janna Davydova and Karen Reschly

    2019-2020

    Best Committee: Superfund and Natural Resource Damages Litigation Committee, Chair: Shoshana Schiller

    Best Articles: Renewable, Alternative, and Distributed Energy Resources Committee, Co-Chairs: Roger Feldman and Patrick Morand

    Best Communications: Environmental Transactions and Brownfields Committee, Co-Chairs: Meaghan Colligan and Eric Larson

    Best Program: Water Quality and Wetlands Committee, Co-Chairs: Susan Kirsch and Gene Wasson

    Phoenix Award: Mining and Mineral Extraction Committee, Co-Chairs: Almira Moronne and Kate Tipple

    2018-2019

    Best Committee: Endangered Species Committee, Co-Chairs: James F. Rusk and Susan L. Stephens

    Best Articles: Superfund and Natural Resource Damages Litigation Committee, Co-Chairs: Lauren Daniel and Shoshana Schiller

    Best Communications: Water Quality and Wetlands Committee, Co-Chairs: Bennett Bearden and Gene Wasson

    Best Program: Master Class on Complex Environmental Liability Resolution, Conference Co-Chairs: Todd Davis and Ilene Munk

    Phoenix Award: Nuclear Law Committee, Co-Chairs: Kyle Landis‐Marinello and Maxine Segarnick

    2017-2018

    Best Committee: Air Quality, Co-Chairs: Elizabeth Hurst and Gary Steinbauer

    Best Newsletter: Superfund and Natural Resource Damages Litigation, Co-Chairs Lauren Daniel and John Gullace

    Best Communications: Environmental Transactions and Brownfields, Co-Chairs: Gene Schmittgens and Anne Viner

    Best Program: Energy, Infrastructure, Siting, and Reliability, Co-Chairs: Roger Feldman and Manisha Patel

    Special Award: Native American Resources, Chair: Dean Suagee

    2016-2017

    Best Committee: Superfund and Natural Resource Damage Litigation, Chair: John F. Gullace

    Best Newsletter: Environmental Litigation and Toxic Torts, Co-Chairs: Pete Condron and Shelly Geppert

    Phoenix Award: Energy Infrastructure, Siting, and Reliability, Co-Chair: Roger Feldman and Jason D. Gellman

    Special Award: Transition Tracker Webpage, Chair: Amy L. Edwards

    Special Award: WOTUS Webpage, Chair: Steven T. Miano

    2015-2016

    Best Overall Committee: Environmental Litigation and Toxic Torts

    Best Newsletter (Environmental): Environmental Litigation and Toxic Torts

    Best Newsletter (Energy and Resources): Water Resources

    Best Newsletter (Cross Practice): Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Ecosystems

    Best Communications: Environmental Transactions and Brownfields

    Best Program (Environmental): Air Quality

    Best Program (Cross Practice): Alternative Dispute Resolution

    Best Committee (Environmental): Superfund and Natural Resource Damage Litigation

    Best Committee (Energy and Resource): Nuclear Law

    Best Committee (Cross Practice): Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Ecosystems

    2014-2015

    Best Overall Committee: International Environmental and Resources Law

    Best Communications: Renewable, Alternative, and Distributed Energy Resources

    Best Newsletter: International Environmental and Resources Law

    Best Program: Environmental Litigation and Toxic Torts

    Phoenix Award: Alternative Dispute Resolutions

    2013-2014

    Best Committee (Environmental): Air Quality and Pesticides, Chemical Regulation, and Right-to-Know

    Best Committee (Energy): Renewable, Alternative, and Distributed Energy Resources

    Best Program (Cross Practice): Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Ecosystems

    Best Program: International Environmental and Resources Law

    Best Newsletter: Pesticides, Chemical Regulation, and Right-to-Know

    Special Award: Best Membership Growth: Nuclear Law

    Phoenix Award: Endangered Species

    2012-2013

    Best Committee (Environment): Air Quality

    Best Newsletter (Environment): Pesticides, Chemical Regulation, and Right-to-Know

    Best Newsletter (Energy and Resources): Renewable, Alternative, and Distributed Energy Resources

    Best Newsletter (Cross Practice): International Environmental and Resources Law

    Best Program (Environment):Pesticides, Chemical Regulation, and Right-to-Know

    Best Program (Energy and Resources): Renewable, Alternative, and Distributed Energy Resources

    Best Program (Cross Practice): International Environmental and Resources Law

    Phoenix Award: Energy Infrastructure and Siting and Government and Private Sector Innovation