Peter S. Glaser

Peter S. Glaser is a partner at the law firm Troutman Sanders LLP and the Chair of the Firm's Climate Change Practice Team.


 * "He represents electric utility, mining and other energy industry companies and associations, as well as other businesses, on regulatory and commercial matters. He specializes in environmental regulation and litigation, particularly in the area of air quality and global climate change. He has participated in numerous EPA rulemakings and judicial appeals and in various state, federal, and local siting and permitting proceedings. Given his strong background, he has been asked to testify five times before Congress on climate change issues. Peter has also represented numerous coal producers and coal purchasers on a variety of commercial and contract matters, including litigated disputes, and his experience extends to proceedings before the STB and FERC."

Glaser has also presented at the American Legislative Exchange Council's 2010 Nation and States Policy Summit. His presentation was called "The EPA’s Regulatory Cascade: What Can State Legislatures Do?" (View it here.) Shortly after making that presentation, he testified before Congress on the same topic.

Representation of Polluters Against Greenhouse Gas Regulations
On behalf of American Farm Bureau Federation, Deseret Power Electric Cooperative, and Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, Glaser submitted comments to the EPA about their "Endangerment Finding" that "the six key well-mixed greenhouse gases — carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) — in the atmosphere threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations." In the comments, Glaser laid out arguments denying the existence of climate change and proof that the climate crisis is caused by humans. He wrote:


 * "Indeed, for purposes of these comments, we expressly do not take a position that GHG emissions either do or do not present an endangerment threat, nor do we take a position that regulation of GHGs is or is not justified. We do maintain, however, that EPA may not, consistent with its responsibilities under Section 202(a), make an Endangerment Finding without providing a considerably more comprehensive and balanced scientific discussion. Absent such discussion, EPA’s Endangerment Finding will be arbitrary and capricious, contrary to the letter and spirit of the Information Quality Act, and a failure by the Administrator to exercise independent judgment as required by Section 202(a)."

In other words, Glaser's argument was not that climate change is not happening or that greenhouse gas regulations are wrong per se. His argument is that the perspective of climate change deniers has not been sufficiently considered by the EPA in order to be considered a "comprehensive and balanced scientific discussion."

Background
Glaser studied at Middlebury College, graduating with a BA in 1975. He received his JD from The George Washington University in 1980. He has previously been a partner at the law firms Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP, Doherty, Rumble & Butler, and Duncan, Weinberg, Miller. He took his current place as a partner at Troutman Sanders LLP in 2004.

Clients
Glaser's clients have included:
 * American Farm Bureau Federation
 * Brushy Creek Coal Company
 * Deseret Power Electric Cooperative
 * Peabody Energy
 * Sunflower Electric Power Corporation
 * Western Fuels-Illinois, Inc.

Memberships and Affiliations
Glaser is a member of:
 * American Bar Association
 * Section: Environment, Energy and Resources
 * Committees: Air Quality; Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Ecosystem.


 * Energy Bar Association

He has also presented before the American Legislative Exchange Council and has filed amicus briefs on behalf of the Washington Legal Foundation

Awards and Rankings
Glaser is ranked by Chambers USA as one of America's Leading Lawyers for Climate Change law.

Contact

 * 401 9th Street, NW
 * Suite 1000
 * Washington, DC 20004-2134
 * Ph: 202 274 2998
 * Email: peter.glaser@troutmansanders.com

Sourcewatch resources

 * American Legislative Exchange Council
 * EPA's Regulatory Trainwreck

Testimony Before Congress

 * Testimony, Subcommittee on Energy and Power of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Hearing on "The Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011," February 9, 2011.
 * Testimony on Strengths and Weaknesses of Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions under Existing Clean Air Act Authorities, Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, April 10, 2008.
 * Testimony on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Response to the Supreme Court's Decision in Massachusetts v. EPA, House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, March 13, 2008.
 * Peter Glaser and John Cline, Testimony on EPA's Approach to Addressing Greenhouse Gases in the wake of the Supreme Court's Decision in Massachusetts v. EPA, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, November 8, 2007.
 * Testimony on Potential GHG Regulation under the Clean Air Act, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, April 24, 2007.

Amicus Briefs and Comments

 * Comments on EPA's Proposed Endangerment Finding Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2009–0171, Submitted on behalf of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Deseret Power Electric Cooperative, and Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, June 23, 2009.

Presentations

 * "EPA's Regulatory Trainwreck: Strategies for State Legislators," American Legislative Exchange Council, December 2010.

External resources

 * EPA's Regulatory Trainwreck website
 * Stop the Trainwreck