After practicing law for nearly two decades including three years as a federal prosecutor at the Department of Justice (Honors Program), Bob became an environmental entrepreneur and a pioneer in creating business opportunities around sustainable business practices. He founded New England’s first wetlands bank, negotiated the nation’s largest trade of renewable energy credits from biomass, and has counseled Fortune 500 companies on a broad range of green initiatives.
He leads the efforts of the Biomass Power Association, a national advocacy group with 50 members in 20 states, including generators, feedstock providers, pulp mills and landowners. He was instrumental in drafting and helping enact the so-called “open-loop biomass” Production Tax Credit as part of the JOBS Act of 2004. In addition, he represents the industry on overall renewable tax reform. He works closely with Senate Finance and Ways and Means tax staff. His work for BPA spans both tax and non-tax issues, including work on the biogenic emission regulation under the Tailoring Rule, Boiler MACT and NHSM; strategic alliances with USDA, DOE, and environmental NGO’s; and energy policy on the Hill.
His work for Stratex Energy includes representing some of the largest pulp and paper companies in the US. Bob was responsible for creating $8 billion in value to the industry in 2008 and 2009—work that avoided thousands of mill layoffs.
Bob is a frequent lecturer on renewable energy at RISI, TAPPI, ACORE, CPA, BBI and other conferences. He is a graduate of Wesleyan University and Boston College Law School.