Mary Kelly, Environmental Defense
Senior Attorney, Program Director for the U.S./Mexico Border Initiatives, Austin Office
Programs: Land, Water & Wildlife 
Topics: Endangered Species Protection,  Watershed Protection and Restoration 

 
Manages Environmental Defense work on water and wildlife issues in the U.S./Mexico border, and participates in various Environmental Defense projects to improve the Texas environment and protect public health.
 
Previously served as Executive Director, Texas Center for Policy Studies (1989-2002), a public interest organization working on a wide variety of environmental, natural resource and economic development issues, including water policy, and providing technical assistance to citizen groups and outreach to legislative committees, administrative agencies, media, policymakers and academics; Of Counsel, Lowerre & Kelly (2001-present), providing consultation on key cases for public interest environmental law practice; part-time partner and Of Counsel, Henry, Lowerre, Johnson & Frederick (1991-2001); Partner, Henry & Kelly (1987-1991); Associate, Stuart N. Henry & Associates (1986-1987); Law clerk, Environmental Protection Division of the Texas Attorney General's Office (1983-1985), Natural Resources Defense Council, San Francisco (1984) and private firms in Austin and Los Angeles; Chemical Engineer, Radian Corporation, Austin, Texas and Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Project Director of contract work for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Electric Power Research Institute and private sector clients )1979-1983), including projects involving air quality issues, including power plant and toxic emissions.
 
Member, State Bar of Texas (since 1986); on the boards of Network for a Progressive Texas (ProTex), Interhemispheric Resource Center, Environmental Finance Advisory Board (Advisory Board to U.S. EPA), and the Texas Coalition for Conservation. Conference co-chair, Law of the Rio Grande Continuing Legal Education Conference (CLE International, 2002-2004). Past Chair, National Advisory Committee to the U.S. Government on Implementation of NAFTA Environmental Side Agreement (1995-1997); Previously served on Office of Technology Assessment Advisory Panel on American Industry and the Environment (1992), Office of the Governor, Border Working Group, Environment Subcommittee (1992), Task Force 21 Overall Advisory Committee to the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (1994-1995), Texas Clean Water Council, Advisory Committee to Texas Water Commission (1992-1993), and Governor's Environmental Agencies Transition Committee (1992).
Author, Environmental Enforcement in Texas: A Review of Trends and Issues (Alliance for Clean Texas, 2003); co-author, Irrigation Demand Forecasts in Texas Water Planning (ED, 2003); co-author, Agricultural Irrigation Conservation Investments in the Delicias, Chihuahua Irrigation District (ED, 2003); other reports include The Río Conchos: A Preliminary Overview | El Rio Conchos: Un Informe Preliminar (Texas Center for Policy Studies, 2001); Realm of the Unknown: Pesticide Use in Texas (TCPS, 1999). Author of articles on how water issues affect environmental management, habitat protection, international cooperation and free trade.

 
J.D., University of Texas School of Law;
B.S., University of Arizona, Chemical Engineering.