Athens, Ga. – Katie Sheehan, a legal fellow at the University of Georgia River Basin Center, was elected member-at-large of the Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia for 2012.
The Environmental Law Section promotes continuing legal education and keeps members up-to-date on the latest developments in federal and state environmental law through monthly meetings, seminars and a regular newsletter.
“Katie is new to the bar, but she’s already developed great expertise in environmental matters,” said Laurie Fowler, associate dean of the Odum School of Ecology and co-director of the River Basin Center, which is the school’s public service and outreach effort.
The RBC pursues interdisciplinary research and analysis in the areas of water quality and quantity, aquatic biodiversity and the impact of land use practices on aquatic resources. The center helps communities and other stakeholders develop and implement sustainable water resource management strategies.
Sheehan joined the River Basin Center after receiving her juris doctor cum laude from the UGA School of Law in 2008. Her work focuses primarily on legal and policy solutions to water quality and quantity issues faced by local governments. She has developed model ordinances for wetland protection and conservation subdivisions, conducted community code reviews and revisions to promote low impact development, cataloged green building practices in southeastern communities and worked on a variety of small projects for local governments and state agencies related to water resources. She is currently developing guidebooks for local management of onsite wastewater treatment systems, local protection of wetlands and appropriate property tax valuation of properties encumbered by a conservation easement.
“Katie’s legal skills combined with her engaging personality have quickly elevated her to leadership positions-we are so lucky to have her as a colleague at the River Basin Center,” said Fowler.
For more information about the River Basin Center, see www.rivercenter.uga.edu.