R.E.A.C.T. by PECC Newsletter
Volume 1, Issue 4 - February 27, 2026
We begin the fourth R.E.A.C.T. by PECC newsletter with a heavy heart as Pace Energy and Climate Center founder, Dean Emeritus Richard L. Ottinger, recently passed away at the age of 97. Dean Ottinger was an environmental pioneer, dedicated public servant, leading scholar, and beloved teacher whose influence helped define modern environmental law. He leaves behind his beloved wife June, four children, ten grandchildren, and a community profoundly shaped by his presence.
In 1987, Dean Ottinger founded the Pace Energy Project, now known worldwide as the Pace Energy and Climate Center or PECC. This was groundbreaking work, as in the late 1980s, climate change was not yet a central legal issue. Under his leadership, the Pace Energy Project was already advocating for the integration of renewable energy into state utility systems, promoting energy efficiency mandates, challenging conventional utility investment models, and reframing environmental harm as an economic externality rather than an unavoidable cost of progress. The Pace Energy Project pushed for the replacement of outdated power plants and greater investment in clean energy—laying critical groundwork for the legal and policy frameworks that would later define modern climate advocacy. Dean Ottinger's impact on PECC cannot be expressed in words, and his legacy will live on through our work phasing out fossil fuels and protecting the climate.
On a personal note, Dean Ottinger was a mentor to me, whose guidance and support have been crucial to my leadership of PECC. Since the beginning of my appointment as Executive Director, Dean Ottinger and June would regularly invite me to their home in Mamaroneck to passionately discuss solutions to the climate crisis over homemade turkey sandwiches and Fresca. Dean Ottinger and I would speak weekly about PECC’s projects, and he would beam with pride when he heard about the amazing work that PECC externs and Energy and Climate Scholars were engaged in. In explaining to me why he was still working at his age, he stated bluntly, “I just want to save the world.” I embrace the burden of carrying Dean Ottinger’s legacy forward at PECC, and I urge my colleagues and students to do what we can to save the world in honor of Dean Ottinger.
— Michael Hamersky, Executive Director
PECC Energy and Climate Law Scholars' Articles
Energy Resilience and the Journey to 100% Renewable Energy on Kodiak Island, Alaska
- Illustrating how Kodiak Island transitioned to 100% renewable energy through collaboration between local government and utility companies, and highlighting the role of distributed energy systems and microgrids in building resilient infrastructure.
How PECC's Municipal Partners are Implementing Thermal Energy
- Discussing PECC's work with nearby municipalities in New York to expand development of thermal energy networks and providing insight into the tools that can be used to advance that expansion.
Questioning the Recent Reclassification of Electricity Transmission Service to PJM Customers
- Examining the Trump Administration's initiative regarding the expansion of electricity supply and energy affordability and how that overlays with larger energy consumers, such as artificial intelligence.
Microgrids to Meet a Macro Goal: A Case Study in Cambodia
- Exploring the challenges and solutions of rural electrification and arguing that solar microgrids, as demonstrated through a United Nations Development Programme-supported project in Cambodia, offer a scalable pathway to advancing clean energy access for rural communities.
Announcing PECC's Fall 2025 Externs' Achievements and New Graduate Fellow
The Pace Energy and Climate Center (“PECC") is proud to share summaries of the work of our Fall 2025 Externs, Clara Cusanelli and Joseph Mayson.
PECC is excited to introduce the newest member of our team! Please join us in welcoming PECC Graduate Fellow, Samuel Carvalho.
R.E.A.C.T. by PECC Podcast
What to Expect at PECC for the 2026 Spring Semester with PECC's Executive Board Member Kenneth Sumter
- PECC Executive Director, Michael Hamersky, and Energy & Policy Advisor, Emma Lagle, converse with PECC Executive Board member, Kenneth Sumter, to preview the upcoming video releases, new video production series, and the PECC’s initiatives for this semester.
COP30 Recap
- Michael Hamersky, PECC Executive Director, Achinthi Vithanage, Pace Environmental Law Executive Director, and Sam Carvalho, Pace | Haub Law SJD, reflected on their experience at the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which was held in Belém, Brazil. Kenneth Sumter, PECC Executive Board member, serves as a moderator to the conversation, which examines what was accomplished at COP30, while also highlighting how student contributors and the Environmental Law Program impacted at the event.
Highlights from PECC Events
Stay updated on the latest developments shaping the future of energy and environmental law by reading about the takeaways from various events PECC has been attending.
- The Empire State of Energy
- In January, PECC alongside the Energy and Climate Division of the Environmental Law Society (ELS), a student organization at Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, co-hosted The Empire State of Energy panel on the current realities of energy and environmental law in New York state. The event featured speakers Eric Walker, Caitlin Stephen, Pete Casper, and Michael Hamersky.
Recently Submitted Public Comments
- Testimony submitted on behalf of PECC regarding New York’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget.
Upcoming Public Comment Filings
- 3/30: Comments due on Petition to Suspend or Modify Renewable Energy Program Targets.
R.E.A.C.T. by PECC Newsletter Curators:
Frances Gothard J.D. '26 | Carington Lowe J.D. '26