Tomás E. Carbonell

Tomás Carbonell’s practice focuses on climate change and Clean Air Act issues; clean energy and energy efficiency law and policy; and electric sector regulation.  His clients include trade associations and leading companies in the electric, natural gas, clean energy, and energy efficiency industries; energy and environmental policy institutes; and nonprofit organizations.  Tomás also serves as an associate editor of Lexxion’s Carbon and Climate Law Review and a co-author of Van Ness Feldman’s weekly Climate, Energy & Air Policy Update.

Tomás’ notable recent representations include:

• Drafting two major reports for the U.S. Green Building Council and a coalition of environmental, energy efficiency, and affordable housing advocates, identifying opportunities to use existing legal authorities to promote green and energy efficient multifamily and commercial buildings.
• Working with a coalition of smart grid and energy efficiency advocates to develop policy and regulatory recommendations for the Administration.
• Preparing analyses of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) greenhouse gas regulations (Reporting Rule, Endangerment Finding, Tailoring Rule, Reinterpretation of Johnson Memorandum, and potential New Source Performance Standards) for various clients, and writing comments on the Tailoring Rule and the Reporting Rule.
• Preparing comments to the EPA on a wide variety of conventional pollutant regulations, including the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, proposed standards for cooling water intake structures, and New Source Performance Standards.
• Preparing comments to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on behalf of the Coalition for Emission Reduction Policy in several regulatory proceedings relating to oversight of markets for greenhouse gas allowances and offset credits.
• Providing legal analysis of options for regulation of greenhouse gases under section 111 of the Clean Air Act for an environmental think tank and the Coalition for Emission Reduction Policy.

Professional Background

Tomás holds master’s degrees in development economics and environmental management from Oxford University, and bachelors’ degrees in chemical engineering, economics, and multidisciplinary studies from North Carolina State University.  Over the course of his studies, Tomás completed several clerkships and internships at organizations in the public and nonprofit sectors, including the World Resources Institute; Environmental Defense Fund; and Center for International Environmental Law.

Government Service

Intern, Environment Bureau, New York Office of the Attorney General, 2006

Intern, Environmental Enforcement Section, U.S. Department of Justice, 2003

Articles

• The Clean Air Act and Global Climate Change
• Standard Arguments
• EPA Lays Further Groundwork for Permitting of Greenhouse Gas Sources Under The Prevention of Significant Deterioration Program
• Second-best world

News

• Van Ness Feldman Helps U.S. Green Building Council Prepare Green Building Executive Action Report
• Van Ness Feldman Helps U.S. Green Building Council Prepare Report on Existing Federal Authority for Green Buildings