CHICAGO, IL, Feb.11, 2010 -- An examination of the Constitutional principles underlying water law, the impact of the changing national policies on water-related issues, and an international perspective on drought management from Australia will be among the legal topics explored Feb. 17-19 at 28th Annual Water Law Conference of the American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources.
This year's program, "Whose Spigot Is It?" will focus on the changing values for water use in the first year of the Obama Administration. At a Feb. 18 luncheon David J. Hayes, deputy secretary of the Department of Interior, will be the keynote speaker on the topic "Interior Water Issues: A Year of Transition and Plans for the Future." The conference will be at the US Grant Hotel in San Diego.
Other meeting highlights include:
- Leading policy experts discussing new paradigms for water control in light of funding constraints, endangered species litigation and complex water settlements
- Discussion of the ethical and practical role of the media in shaping perceptions of new scientific developments in water law
- Remarks from Hilary Tompkins, solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior, on current legal issues
- Discussions with leading experts on recent U.S. Supreme Court developments on principles underlying water law
- An Australian perspective on drought management
- A review of the long-term effects and prospects of major Native American and interstate water settlements
- Break-out sessions on: the ability of municipal suppliers to plan for the future; legal and policy issues raised by low-impact land development initiatives; and the extensive use of energy by water purveyors.
Complete listing of speakers, panel descriptions and further details >
The ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources is the premier forum for strategies and information for environmental, energy and resource lawyers. Representing more than 11,000 members with a wide range of professional interests, the section keeps its members abreast of development trends, current court decisions, legislative initiatives and statutes concerning environmental, natural resources and energy law.
With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.
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