CONTRIBUTED

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will discuss "The Green Gold Rush: A Vision for Energy Independency, Jobs, and National Wealth" as The Pilot's 2012-2013 Sam Ragan Memorial Lecture of the Ruth Pauley Lecture Series on Nov. 1.

The talk will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Owens Auditorium on the Sandhills Community College campus, in Pinehurst.

Admission is free and open to the public, with no tickets required.

This lecture is co-sponsored by the Sandhills Area Land Trust (SALT), whose mission is to conserve the rich natural resources and natural heritage landscape of the Sandhills for future generations.

Having conserved 11,500 acres of working forests and farms, high quality wildlife habitat and many miles of drinking supply waters of Drowning Creek, the Deep River and the Cape Fear River, SALT joins the Ruth Pauley Lecture Series in bringing one of the country's most accomplished environmental advocates who shares its passion of conserving the lands that we love and being good stewards of natural resources, a news release said.

Kennedy's reputation as a resolute defender of the environment stems from a litany of successful legal actions. Kennedy was named one of Time magazine's "Heroes for the Planet" for his success in helping Riverkeeper, New York's clean water advocate, lead the fight to restore the Hudson River, the release said. The group's achievement helped spawn more than 160 water-keeper organizations across the globe. In 2009, he was named one of Rolling Stone's "100 Agents of Change."

Kennedy was also featured in the acclaimed environmental documentary "The Last Mountain," the Sundance 2011 official selection. The film examines the struggle to save Coal River Mountain in Coal River Valley, W.Va. - the last mountain in the area untouched by the mining practice of mountain top removal.

Kennedy is a professor of environmental law at Pace University School of Law and serves as co-director of the school's environmental litigation clinic.

He also serves as senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, chief prosecuting attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper, president-at-large of the Waterkeeper Alliance, is a partner on the CleanTech investment team of Silicon Valley's VantagePoint Capital Ventures, is the environmental adviser to Napo Pharmaceuticals, and serves on the board of Westing-house Solar. Earlier in his career, he served as assistant district attorney in New York City.

He is credited with leading the fight to protect New York City's water supply. The New York City watershed agreement, which he negotiated on behalf of environmentalists and New York City watershed consumers, is regarded as an international model in stakeholder consensus negotiations and sustainable development. He also helped lead the fight to turn back the anti-environmental legislation during the 104th Congress.

He has also worked on environmental issues across the Americas, and has assisted several indigenous tribes in Latin America and Canada in successfully negotiating treaties protecting traditional homelands.

Among his published books are The New York Times best-seller "Crimes Against Nature," "The Riverkeep-ers," and "Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr: A Biography." His articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, The Nation, Outside magazine, the Village Voice, and many other publications.

Kennedy's award-winning articles have also been included in anthologies of America's best crime writing, best political writing and best science writing.

He is a graduate of Harvard University. He studied at the London School of Economics and earned his law degree from the University of Virginia Law School. Following graduation, he attended Pace University School of Law, where he earned a master's degree in environmental law.

The Ruth Pauley Lecture Series is sponsored by Sandhills Community College, the Moore County League of Women Voters, the Sandhills Branch of the American Association of University Women, and the Moore County Schools.

Past speakers have included Sandra Day O'Connor, Newt Gingrich, George McGovern, Frank Deford, Jack Hanna and Jack Nicklaus. Lectures are free and open to the public with no tickets required.

The next lecture will be Jan. 23. Master Sgt. Mark Vomund will discuss "From Soldier to Survivor: One Man's Life-Changing Event." For additional information, call (910) 245-3132.