West-Northwest Symposium

Clean Energy Development on Public Lands 
WNW's 2012 Symposium

West-Northwest Journal of Environmental Law and Policy

January 17, 2012

Free Admission/ 6 MCLE units to earn

                The renewable energy industry is beginning an era of unprecedented growth following the implementation of California’s landmark climate change legislation and the Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The California desert, parts of Nevada and Arizona are the primary locations for new solar and wind energy projects.  Industry leaders, conservationists, and legal scholars are questioning the tradeoffs associated with siting energy projects in ecologically sensitive habitat. How do we balance the growing demand for needed renewable energy with the concepts of conservation and preservation of natural resources? Is it possible to create an effective regulatory scheme that doesn't stifle the burgeoning clean energy sector?

                Please join West-Northwest and members of the business, regulatory, and academic community in exploring these issues at the cutting edge of environmental law.

Registration and Coffee: 8:30 a.m.

Introduction: 9:00 a.m.

• Welcome from WNW Symposium Chair Veery Maxwell
• Introduction with moderators, Professors David Takacs and John Leshy

Panel 1: Balancing Conservation and Energy Needs: 9:15 - 10:30 a.m.

• Alexandra Klass (Professor of Law, University of Minnesota Law School)
• Lisa Belenky (Public Lands Practice Group, Center for Biological Diversity)
• TBD

Coffee Break: 10:30 - 10:45 a.m.

Panel 2: Regulatory Hurdles Facing Energy Projects: 10:45 - 12:00 p.m.

• Ellen Berman (Founder, EB Energy Law)
• Peter Weiner (Chair of Environmental Practice Group, Paul Hastings)
• Caryn Holmes (Staff Council, California Energy Commission)

Lunch: Keynote Address: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

• Steve Black (Counselor to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar)

Panel 3: The Future of Energy Development: 1:15 - 2:30 p.m.

• Scott Galati (Founding Partner, Galati Blek)
• Michael Wheeler (Director of Policy Initiatives, Recurrent Energy)
• TBD

Questions?

Email wnw@uchastings.edu