With world attention focused on both the environment and the economy, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is where policymakers and business leaders turn for win-win solutions. This leading green group, with programs from Boston to Beijing, has tripled in size over the past decade by focusing on strong science, uncommon partnerships and market-based approaches. You can be part of a vibrant workplace that welcomes diverse perspectives, talents and contributions, where innovation and a focus on results are a way of life.
EDF’s Natural Gas Markets Project Natural gas is an important and growing part of our nation’s energy portfolio. The increasing use of natural gas, especially for electricity generation, has huge implications for the future of the energy system and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. It could be a win-win, if–and this is a big “if”–we do it the right way. The “right way” entails putting tough rules in place that lock in mandatory environmental safeguards to protect communities and reduce methane pollution, which undermines natural gas’ role as a lower carbon alternative to coal and oil. In addition, there must be a pathway for natural gas use to diminish over time and be replaced by lower emitting energy sources like wind and solar. EDF is taking a leading role to ensure that natural gas provides real and sustained greenhouse gas benefits that facilitate, rather than constrain, the ongoing transformation to an energy system that is more efficient and powered by renewable resources.
EDF has a long history of achieving environmental goals through market-based mechanisms and incentives to protect public health and the environment, at the state level and nationally. Within our Oil & Gas Program, EDF’s Gas-to-Clean project is helping provide a pathway for clean energy integration by refining energy market rules to direct capital investment for infrastructure designed to accelerate the trend to a more dynamic, responsive and renewable energy system. A key strategic priority is to ensure that natural gas infrastructure like power plants and interstate pipelines are not deployed in a manner that locks-in carbon emissions and locks out clean energy. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) and many state public utility commissions are exploring market refinements to better harmonize natural gas and electricity market designs which presents an opportunity to better guide the transition from coal to gas to clean energy -a crucial element of making sure natural gas use contributes to climate solutions. Overall Function Under the direction of the Air Policy Director, Oil & Gas Program, the Natural Gas Markets Attorney will manage legal advocacy and represent EDF primarily before FERC and state PUCs to advance and achieve the priorities of EDF’s Gas-to-Clean program with focus on the wholesale and retail markets governing natural gas industry commerce and market participants.
Reports to: Air Policy Director
Key Responsibilities
Qualifications We are seeking a licensed attorney with extensive experience in legal advocacy in the energy or utility business, or government sector working with the energy industry. Qualifications for this position include:
Qualified applicants should forward a cover letter and resume/CV to jobs@edf.org. Due to the volume of employment applications and queries received, EDF is unable to respond to each application individually. Applicants will be contacted directly if selected as a candidate.
Location:
The preferred location for this position is Washington, D.C., or New York, NY.
