
Environmental Law, Hard Work, and Whooping Cranes with Patrick Parenteau
01/17/25 • 61 min
Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick!
On today’s episode, we talk with Patrick Parenteau, Professor of Law Emeritus at Vermont Law and Graduate School, about Environmental Law, Hard Work, and Whooping Cranes. Read his full bio below.
Thank you to Vermont Law and Graduate School for sponsoring. "Vermont Law and Graduate School is one of the top environmental law schools in the U.S. and is nationally renowned in climate change law, restorative justice, criminal law, and clinical education." Learn more at www.vermontlaw.edu
Help us continue to create great content! If you’d like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visit www.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-form
Please be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review.
This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org.
Connect with Patrick Parenteau at https://www.vermontlaw.edu/faculty/parenteau-pat
Guest Bio:
Patrick A. Parenteau is Emeritus Professor of Law and Senior Fellow for Climate Policy in the Environmental Law Center at Vermont Law School. He previously served as Director of the Environmental Law Center and was the founding director of the EAC (formerly the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic) in 2004.
Professor Parenteau has an extensive background in environmental and natural resources law. His previous positions include Vice President for Conservation with the National Wildlife Federation in Washington, DC (1976-1984); Regional Counsel to the New England Regional Office of the EPA in Boston (1984-1987); Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (1987-1989); and Senior Counsel with the Perkins Coie law firm in Portland, Oregon (1989-1993).
Professor Parenteau has been involved in drafting, litigating, implementing, teaching, and writing about environmental law and policy for over three decades. His current focus is on confronting the profound challenges of climate change through his teaching, publishing, public speaking and litigation.
Professor Parenteau is a Fulbright US Scholar and a Fellow in the American College of Environmental Lawyers. In 2005 he received the National Wildlife Federation’s Conservation Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to wildlife conservation and environmental education. In 2016 he received the Kerry Rydberg Award for excellence in public interest environmental law.
Professor Parenteau holds a B.S. from Regis University, a J.D. from Creighton University, and an LLM in Environmental Law from the George Washington U.
Music Credits
Intro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace Mesa
Outro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs Muller
Thanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.
Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick!
On today’s episode, we talk with Patrick Parenteau, Professor of Law Emeritus at Vermont Law and Graduate School, about Environmental Law, Hard Work, and Whooping Cranes. Read his full bio below.
Thank you to Vermont Law and Graduate School for sponsoring. "Vermont Law and Graduate School is one of the top environmental law schools in the U.S. and is nationally renowned in climate change law, restorative justice, criminal law, and clinical education." Learn more at www.vermontlaw.edu
Help us continue to create great content! If you’d like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visit www.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-form
Please be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review.
This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org.
Connect with Patrick Parenteau at https://www.vermontlaw.edu/faculty/parenteau-pat
Guest Bio:
Patrick A. Parenteau is Emeritus Professor of Law and Senior Fellow for Climate Policy in the Environmental Law Center at Vermont Law School. He previously served as Director of the Environmental Law Center and was the founding director of the EAC (formerly the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic) in 2004.
Professor Parenteau has an extensive background in environmental and natural resources law. His previous positions include Vice President for Conservation with the National Wildlife Federation in Washington, DC (1976-1984); Regional Counsel to the New England Regional Office of the EPA in Boston (1984-1987); Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (1987-1989); and Senior Counsel with the Perkins Coie law firm in Portland, Oregon (1989-1993).
Professor Parenteau has been involved in drafting, litigating, implementing, teaching, and writing about environmental law and policy for over three decades. His current focus is on confronting the profound challenges of climate change through his teaching, publishing, public speaking and litigation.
Professor Parenteau is a Fulbright US Scholar and a Fellow in the American College of Environmental Lawyers. In 2005 he received the National Wildlife Federation’s Conservation Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to wildlife conservation and environmental education. In 2016 he received the Kerry Rydberg Award for excellence in public interest environmental law.
Professor Parenteau holds a B.S. from Regis University, a J.D. from Creighton University, and an LLM in Environmental Law from the George Washington U.
Music Credits
Intro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace Mesa
Outro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs Muller
Thanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.
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All Things Environmental, Social, and Governance with Matt Sekol
Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick!
On today’s episode, Matt Sekol, Sustainability Global Black Belt on Microsoft’s Cross-Industry team and author of ESG Mindset : Business Resilience and Sustainable Growth . Read his full bio below.
Help us continue to create great content! If you’d like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visit www.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-form
Please be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review.
This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org.
Connect with Matthew Sekol at
www.linkedin.com/in/matthewsekol/
Guest Full Bio:
Matthew Sekol is a Sustainability Global Black Belt on Microsoft’s Cross-Industry team. He also serves on the LP Advisory Committee of Morgan Stanley’s Next Level Fund, which invests in diverse-led and founded startups. In 2024, Matthew released a book called “ESG Mindset,” which is a guide for companies to think critically about ESG and take a holistic approach to the business and he joined the Advisory Board of Enzo Advisors, an ESG consultancy.
Music Credits
Intro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace Mesa
Outro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs Muller
Thanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.
Next Episode

Confidence, CrossFit, and the Maui Fires with Brian Brandt
Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick!
On today’s episode, we talk with Brian Brandt, Director, Operations Management at Dawson Global, about Confidence, CrossFit, and the Maui Fires. Read his full bio below.
Help us continue to create great content! If you’d like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visit www.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-form
Showtimes:
1:03 - Sponsor Shoutout
2:08 - Art of Decision-Making
10:43 - Interview starts
26:42 - Maui Wild Fires
46:13 - Job Seekers
48:40 - Crossfit
Please be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review.
This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org.
Connect with Brian Brandt at www.linkedin.com/in/brian-brandt-p-e-786b4a267
Guest Bio:
Brian Brandt is originally from Pittsburgh, PA and currently lives in Fort Worth, TX working for DAWSON Global as Director, Operations Management. He has a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, an MS in Building Construction from Auburn University and a Professional Engineering License from Ohio.
He recently left the US Army Corps of Engineers – Fort Worth District where he was a Supervisory Civil Engineer with over 15 years of experience in managing large-scale complex construction projects. His direct project experience has been focused on O&M and MILCON projects related to secured facilities, civil works, border infrastructure, large (+$300M) construction projects, and emergency response actions.
Music Credits
Intro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace Mesa
Outro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs Muller
Thanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.
Environmental Professionals Radio (EPR) - Environmental Law, Hard Work, and Whooping Cranes with Patrick Parenteau
Transcript
Hello and welcome to EPR your favorite environmental enthusiasts, Nick and Laura. On today's episode, Laura and I discuss what it means to find your passion.
We talked to Pat Parenteau about environmental law, hard work, and whooping cranes. And finally, speaking of whooping cranes they are the tallest bird in North America at around 5 ft tall. Their trachea is also around 5 ft long as it coils into their sternum. Gross. Why is that gross? I don't know. It just feels creepy to me. I don'
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