Events
2025 National Forum
July 31, 2025
Register Now for NCEL’s 2025 National Forum
NCEL will host its annual National Forum in Boston, Massachusetts Thursday, July 31 – Saturday, August 2. All Forum sessions will take place at the Westin Copley Place.
About the National Forum
NCEL’s Forum is known for leaving legislators with actionable solutions for you to bring back to your state. It’s an opportunity for over 150 environmentally-committed state legislators from across the country to network, discuss a wide variety of environmental issues and develop a proactive agenda for environmental, clean energy, and conservation policy in the states.
You’ll walk away with a set of policy options and be able to connect and network with other legislators interested in working on similar issues. The actions of states are more crucial than ever in serving as a backstop for environmental protection.
This event is limited to current state legislators.
Please note that you will be responsible for booking your lodging. You will receive a link to book your hotel room with NCEL’s discounted rate after registering. Reimbursements are available to cover the cost of hotel and airfare. Please contact events@ncelenviro.org, if prepurchasing the hotel and/or flight is a barrier to registration.
Hotel and flight reimbursements up to $1,000 per attendee will be available if needed.
Pre-Forum Event: Building the Grid of the Future – A Convening for New England Legislators
Lowering energy bills is at the forefront of everyone’s mind this year, and New England has some of the highest rates in the country. While there are many different policy tactics to approach this issue, building a more robust grid is key to increasing reliability, resiliency, and affordability while still moving forward on state emission reduction goals. Hear from experts in New England about the current state of the grid in the region, what policy options are within the state legislative domain, and how to message grid reform to the public. Join colleagues from all 6 New England states to vision the grid of the future.
When: Thursday, July 31, 11:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Who: This event is designed for state legislators of ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, and CT
Pre-Forum Event: Ocean Challenges and Opportunities – A Convening for West Coast Legislators
Coastal areas are home to nearly 40% of the U.S. population and the U.S. marine economy is one of the most productive in the world. The unique challenges that coastal communities face affect an outsized portion of our population and thus require specific solutions to issues like sea-level rise, coastal erosion, or fisheries management. During this session you’ll hear from experts in New England about how they are leveraging innovative approaches and cross-sector collaborations to tackle these challenges, as well as available marine policy options for states. The session will conclude with a roundtable discussion on areas and opportunities for regional West Coast ocean collaborations moving forward.
When: Thursday, July 31, 12:00 – 4:00 PM
Who: This event is designed for state legislators of AK, CA, HI, OR, and WA
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the conference begin and end?
The forum will begin at approximately 5:00 PM ET on Thursday, July 31. The event will conclude by around 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, August 2.
Where is the conference taking place?
Lodging and all Forum events will be at The Westin Copley Place at 10 Huntington Ave, Boston MA, 02116.
Who is allowed to attend?
Only state legislators currently holding office are invited to register. Attendees may also bring one spouse/partner by registering them with a guest ticket.
Staffers can attend on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Dylan McDowell if you are interested in having your staffer attend.
How much does registration cost and what does it cover?
$250 – In-person registration to the Forum July 31 – August 2, 2025
In-person registration includes:
- Entrance to all plenary and breakout sessions.
- All forum meals, including two breakfasts, two lunches, break snacks, and one dinner.
- Unlimited coffee and hot tea during the forum.
- All conference materials including a printed conference program and attendee list.
- Access to all session recordings, presentations, and materials.
- Registration does not include lodging.
Please note that this year, we are asking attendees to book their own hotel. When possible, we also request that attendees cover lodging and travel from campaign or personal funds.
Hotel and flight reimbursements up to $1,000 per attendee will be available if needed. Please contact events@ncelenviro.org with questions.
If pre-purchasing the hotel or flight is a barrier to registration, please contact events@ncelenviro.org so we can assist.
How do I reserve my hotel room?
NCEL has a room block at The Westin with a discounted rate. The reservation link will be available soon for you to book your hotel. Only rooms booked within NCEL’s room block will be eligible for reimbursements.
Are hotel and flight reimbursements available?
NCEL is offering hotel and flight reimbursements up to $1,000 per attendee on an as-needed basis. Please contact events@ncelenviro.org if you have any questions.
In case of an emergency or last-minute conflict, how do I cancel my registration?
If necessary, please contact events@ncelenviro.org with your cancellation.
NCEL is able to offer a full refund up to four weeks before the event and a 50% refund up to two weeks before the event.
With our hotel and meal counts finalized weeks before the event, we are unable to offer refunds for cancellations within two weeks.
Memories from the 2024 National Forum
Legislator Spotlights
NCEL conferences are one of my favorites because we always talk about actual solutions I can take back to my district. Other conferences I go to we mostly sit around and admire the problem.
Fue Lee, State Representative, Minnesota
The information we learned and the knowledge we shared with colleagues nationwide gives me hope that together we can work to protect our environment. The variety and depth of topics discussed opened my mind new ideas for future legislation.
Laura Fine, State Representative, Illinois
NCEL regularly presents cutting-edge information and suggested solutions on pertinent environmental issues. I find my participation to be extremely worthwhile!
David Senjem, Former State Senator, Minnesota
Of the different legislative conferences I attend, NCEL’s annual forum is always the most relevant and useful one. I appreciate the way NCEL connects policy discussions to model legislation and provides legislators with a wealth of resources for transforming ideas into bills that are the vehicle for implementing those ideas.
Nicole Lowen, State Representative, Hawaii
“NCEL’s ability to give us quick information – whitepapers, data, stats, and history of legislation in other parts of the country – is super helpful because it saves us a lot of time in figuring out how we can most effectively do the work of protecting our planet, fight climate change, and advance environmental justice.”
Abraham Aiyash, State Representative, Michigan
The NCEL National Forum continues to be one of my favorite events of the year because it is always a perfect mix of novel legislative ideas ready for implementation and networking with other legislators and professionals who care deeply about our environment.
Steve Yeager, State Assemblymember, Nevada
