Past Events

Tommy Beaudreau on “The Lords of Yesterday and the Imperatives of Now”: Challenges to Energy Transition on Public Lands

Annie Carlozzi — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 19:56:07 +0000

Tommy Beaudreau on “The Lords of Yesterday and the Imperatives of Now”: Challenges to Energy Transition on Public Lands Annie Carlozzi Thu, 03/20/2025 - 13:56

Victoria Matson and Oliver Skelly

On Tuesday, February 25th, Tommy Beaudreau, former Deputy Secretary of the Interior, delivered the Schultz Lecture, offering a sobering analysis of the structural, legal, economic, and political hurdles to the energy transition on public lands. His talk, “The Lords of Yesterday and the Imperatives of Now,” constituted a tribute to the late Charles Wilkinson's coined phrase. Harkening back to Wilkinson's work, Beaudreau traced these contemporary challenges to the legacy of westward expansion and Indigenous displacement, illustrating how outdated laws and entrenched interests continue to shape today’s energy policies.

Beaudreau framed public lands as a political flashpoint in the energy transition. While state and private lands—particularly in North Dakota and the Southwest—have played significant roles in the oil and gas boom, debates over renewables, permitting, and leasing disproportionately focus on federal lands. Ironically, legal tools once used to block fossil fuel projects are now being turned against renewables, complicating efforts to decarbonize.

Beyond regulatory hurdles, fossil fuel revenues remain deeply embedded in state economies, funding schools, public safety, and infrastructure. Many Tribal nations, too, rely on fossil fuel revenues, balancing economic interests with environmental concerns. Beaudreau stressed that a “just transition” must provide financial alternatives before communities can fully embrace renewables.

Outdated laws, like the 1872 Mining Law, remain a major obstacle to energy reform. Beaudreau highlighted the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as a key step in shifting energy policy, but legal battles persist over leasing rights, mineral access, and state-federal control. He pointed to Louisiana’s lawsuit over the Biden administration’s oil and gas lease moratorium, which raised critical questions about governmental statutory and commercial contractual rights in energy development.

Economic arguments also dominate the debate. Critics claim renewables are too costly for federal subsidies, mirroring past fights over offshore oil incentives. Meanwhile, global competition—especially China’s control of solar panel and battery supply chains—adds geopolitical complexity to the transition.

Despite these challenges, Beaudreau offered a measured note of optimism. He pointed to Western landowners and ranchers, historically conservation advocates, as potential allies in sustainable land management. Their interest in wildlife migration corridors and outdoor access could foster new conservation coalitions.

Ultimately, Beaudreau underscored that energy transition requires modernizing laws, addressing economic realities, and building broad political consensus. As attendees left Wittemyer Courtroom, they carried with them a clear message: the road ahead is uncertain, but public lands remain central to shaping America’s energy future and, as Wilkinson's "lords of yesterday" remain, the imperatives of change have arrived.

The recording of the 16th annual Schultz Lecture can be found here.

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2025/26 Natural Resource and American Indian Law Course Preview

Annie Carlozzi — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 22:04:47 +0000

2025/26 Natural Resource and American Indian Law Course Preview Annie Carlozzi Sun, 03/09/2025 - 16:04

The natural resource and American Indian Law faculty have scheduled a meeting at noon on Tuesday, March 11 to share with you information about the courses that our faculty will be offering in these fields during the 2025-2026 academic year. We will meet in room 207. Lunch will be provided. Please join us.

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The Legal Effect of Executive Orders - Professor Panel March 18th

Annie Carlozzi — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:07:19 +0000

The Legal Effect of Executive Orders - Professor Panel March 18th Annie Carlozzi Mon, 03/03/2025 - 14:07

A Colorado Law Student Event

Presented by: The Byron White Center, The Getches-Wilkinson Center, and the American Constitution Society

Panelists: Professor Daria Roithmayr, BWC Director Deep Gulasekaram, and GWC Director Chris Winter

Tuesday, March 18th 12-12:50pm in Room 207

Join us for a panel discussion regarding the slurry of executive orders that Trump has passed over the past month that he has been in office, impacting several (if not all) areas of law. This panel's purpose is to discuss each of the executive orders, how they compare to those in previous administrations, and the extend of the orders' legal impact. Lunch will be provided, so please arrive early to grab your food and a seat!

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Feb 25th: Schultz Lecture in Energy with Tommy Beaudreau

Annie Carlozzi — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 18:34:45 +0000

Feb 25th: Schultz Lecture in Energy with Tommy Beaudreau Annie Carlozzi Thu, 12/19/2024 - 11:34

The Getches-Wilkinson Center and Center of the American West will co-host the 16th Annual Schultz Lecture in Energy on February 25, 2025 with special guest, Tommy Beaudreau, former Deputy Secretary of the Interior.

Tuesday, February 25, 2025
6:00-7:30 p.m. (Mountain Time)
Wolf Law Building, Wittemyer Courtroom

A reception will be held immediately following the lecture for all in person registrants.

Two general CLE credits have been approved for Colorado attorneys.

Register Here

“The Lords of Yesterday and the Imperatives of Now”

Beaudreau will discuss the structural, legal, and political challenges to energy transition on public lands. He will provide an exploration of the contemporary problems that must be solved for bringing public lands to bear in energy transition efforts, and how the roots of those issues rest in the legacy of American westward expansion and the displacement of Native people.

Student Lunch and Learns
Tues, February 25, 2025 at the Center of the American West
Wed, February 26, 2025 in Room 207 in Wolf Law

GWC and CWA respectively, will host a lunch and learn for students, where Tommy Beaudreau will share his professional experiences and offered advice and guidance to students and engage in a Q&A session.

Tommy Beaudreau

Tommy Beaudreau is co-chair of WilmerHale’s Energy, Environment and Natural Resources and Native American Law Practices. Mr. Beaudreau focuses his practice on a broad range of areas including conventional and renewable energy and large-scale infrastructure projects; environmental regulatory, litigation and enforcement matters; crisis management and response; and Tribal matters. In addition, Mr. Beaudreau leads internal investigations and responses to government investigations and congressional oversight.

Mr. Beaudreau served in senior leadership roles in the United States Department of the Interior for nearly a decade across two administrations. Most recently, he served as the Deputy Secretary of the Interior after being confirmed by the US Senate in June 2021 by a vote of 88-9, reflecting his strong reputation as a bi-partisan problem solver. In this role, Mr. Beaudreau was point on the most pressing and high-profile matters before the Department, including energy development on public lands and waters, water infrastructure and delivery to address sustained drought in the American west, infrastructure permitting and critical minerals development, implementation of the historic investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, and a broad range of priorities relative to Indian Country.

Mr. Beaudreau previously served for nearly seven years at the Department of the Interior (DOI) during the Obama Administration, including as the first director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Acting Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management, and chief of staff for the Interior Department.

He is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.

The Schultz Lectureship in Energy

In 2007, the Schultz Lecture in Energy was launched to support an annual lecture by renowned scholars in energy or natural resources law. This series was made possible by the generosity of John H. and Cynthia H. Schultz and allows the Getches-Wilkinson Center (GWC) to bring in thought leaders from across the country. Our speakers address emerging issues and challenges in the oil and gas, energy, and natural resources fields, providing valuable information to policymakers, practitioners, business executives, students, and the academic community.

John Schultz (CU Econ, Political. Science ‘51) (CU Law ‘53) was an oil and gas attorney whose impactful career in Colorado and the Western U.S. spanned the second half of the 20th century. John Schultz passed away on April 5, 2020, surrounded by family in the comfort of his own home in Lafayette, Colorado. Cynthia Schultz was a University of Colorado administrative staff member who served the University in many ways. She was a member of the Graduate School Advisory Council, the Graduate School Resource Committee, and on the Ad Hoc Task Force on Graduate Education. Cynthia passed away on December 20, 2011. Both John’s and Cynthia’s generosity of time with our students was exceptional.

Their legacies continue, in part, through their substantial gifts to the University of Colorado, Colorado Law, and to the GWC where we are so appreciative of the Schultz family’s generosity. The family’s continued commitment means that this lecture can be free and open to the public. The format (normally) includes a public reception following the talk, providing the opportunity to continue a lively discussion, as well as a dinner with the speaker, the extended Schultz family, the Dean, GWC faculty, and several law students.

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Preserving Dinetah: Water Security for Generations, the Nation’s Water Settlements Currently before Congress

Annie Carlozzi — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 23:39:56 +0000

Preserving Dinetah: Water Security for Generations, the Nation’s Water Settlements Currently before Congress Annie Carlozzi Sun, 12/01/2024 - 16:39

Please join the Navajo Nation Department of Justice, the American Indian Law Program and the Getches-Wilkinson Center for a timely discussion regarding the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024. The focus of the presentation and conversation will be the importance of water access for the Navajo Nation, the challenges associated with accessing clean water, planning and infrastructure projects, and a particular focus on current bills submitted to Congress that would comprehensively settle the Navajo Nation’s Arizona water rights as well as multiple basins in New Mexico. This event is open to students, faculty, staff, administration, and other local community members.

Tuesday, December 3

Room 305

12-2pm

Lunch will be provided

Zoom Access: https://cu.law/zoom305-e

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Reflections on the Martz Symposium on Public Lands

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 21:32:27 +0000

Reflections on the Martz Symposium on Public Lands Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 11/07/2024 - 14:32

Oliver Skelly and Aidan Stearns

On Friday, October 4^thand Saturday, October 5^th, as beautiful weather and fall colors descended upon the Front Range, legal practitioners, academics, government officials, and students gathered at the University of Colorado Law School in the Wittmeyer Courtroom for a two-day symposium.

Despite the allure of Colorado’s autumn days, there was no squirming or restless fidgeting from attendees of the 2024 Martz Symposium on Public Lands, presented by the Getches-Wilkinson Center, American Indian Law Program, and Colorado Environmental Law Journal. The reason? A darn good topic: The Future of Public Lands- People, Place, and Power.

The Symposium’s namesake, Clyde O. Martz, was a former Colorado Law professor, Assistant U.S. Attorney General, Solicitor of the Department of the Interior, partner at Davis, Graham & Stubbs, among many other accolades. To honor Professor Martz’s legacy as a “father of natural resource law,” the Symposium’s theme always centers around natural resource law issues.

The topic of public lands, as one can imagine, encompassed a wide showcasing of the relevant law—rules, statutes, cases—as well as viewpoints, from industry and academia to federal agencies and NGOs, though all shared a focus on the American West. Each panel began with the moderator giving a primer on the subject matter to be discussed. After that overview, panelists took turns weighing in on the issue and introducing new ideas from their respective positions. Naturally, some debate ensued.

The first panel, for example, incorporated all those perspectives in their discussion on the implementation and reception of BLM’s 2024 Public Lands Rule. Attendees also got a glimpse of the budding contention between renewable energy development and the interests of Tribes, with Pattern Energy’s SunZia providing the case study. And the first day concluded with a deep dive into ongoing debates about the future of the Antiquities and national monument designations. With all the panels, spirited Q&A followed, demonstrating the high level of engagement of conference attendees.

The purpose of events like the Martz Symposium is to expose people to different points of view, while also providing the medium to soundboard issues, ideas, and solutions off one another. Lunch hour and networking breaks paint that picture well, as colleagues and old classmates continued discussions that started on the panels in Wittmeyer Courtroom.

Despite feelings of uncertainty surrounding the potential impact of a new administration on the future of public land management, permitting reform, and tribal co-stewardship, conference attendees did not let that uncertainty rue the day. Throughout every presentation, there was an overarching theme of optimism for the future of stewardship and care for America’s public lands.

Stay tuned for the Journal’s symposium issue (estimated publication: May 2025), where some of our conference panelists will publish articles on their talks.

Recordings and Images Available:

The recordings of the 2024 Martz Symposium on Public Lands can be found here.

Barb Colombo of 11:11 Photography Productions captured images of the Martz Symposium. These images are available for viewing here.

Heidi McIntosh Presentation

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Reflections on the Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 17:09:25 +0000

Reflections on the Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/05/2024 - 10:09

Sierra Meggitt

On September 26th, the Getches-Wilkinson Center and American Indian Law Program presented the 2024 Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture in Natural Resources. This year’s speaker was Bob Anderson, the Solicitor of the Department of the Interior.

In addition to his role as the Solicitor, Bob Anderson is a law professor, having taught at the University of Washington School of Law and Harvard Law School. Prior to his appointment as the Solicitor, he served as a political appointee in the Clinton administration under Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt. Bob began his career as an attorney with the Native American Rights Fund, eventually co-founding NARF’s Alaska office. Bob is a member of the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe.

On the day of the Ruth Wright lecture, Bob Anderson gave a talk to students during the lunch hour. Bob speaks like a mentor, humble and thoughtful, clearly committed to his role in fostering the next generation of lawyers. During the lecture that evening, Bob shared stories about his monumental cases and discussed important legal issues, covering topics such as Federal treaty and trust obligations to tribes, Alaska Native Fishing Rights, protecting public lands and offshore areas from oil and gas leasing, and Indian water rights.

Bob Anderson’s talk felt like an honoring of the work that has been done at the intersection of American Indian law and public lands law, as well as anticipation for the path ahead – the path that will be walked by this generation of lawyers, my generation of lawyers and the next.

I remember the first Ruth Wright lecture I attended when I started law school in 2022. I was overwhelmed by the blazers and the klick-clacking of heels and well-polished dress shoes across the tile of Wolf Law. I passed out nametags, star struck by the speaker and attendees, leaders in the fields of American Indian law, public lands, and natural resources – people I had dreamed of working for when I applied to law school. As I walked home that September night in 2022, I felt affirmed that I was in exactly the right place. This year was no different.

The recordings of the 2024 Ruth Wright Lecture can befound here.

Barb Colombo of 11:11 Photography Productions captured images of the Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture. These images are available for viewing here.

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Application Open: Advanced Natural Resources Field Seminar Spring 2025

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Application Open: Advanced Natural Resources Field Seminar Spring 2025 Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/22/2024 - 00:00

ADVANCED NATURAL RESOURCES SEMINAR: THE COLORADO PLATEAU

Professors Chris Winter & Mark Squillace
Spring Semester, 2025

Applications are now open for this seminar.

Download application instructions here.

Deadline To Apply: Mon, Nov 4th by 5pm

This three-credit seminar is designed as the capstone course of our natural resources curriculum. The class will meet on Tuesdays 2:30-4:10 with a possibility to extend to 4:30pm. We can offer three credits because of the substantial time we will be spending in the field as described below. The course is available for twelve law students, and three graduate students from other disciplines, with strong interests and backgrounds in natural resources issues in the American West. It provides students with the opportunity to tie together materials that they have studied in various courses relating to natural resources law and policy by moving beyond their textbooks and learning how the issues play out in the real world. To accomplish this goal, students who enroll in the seminar must commit to a week-long field trip over spring break on the Colorado Plateau.

The course focuses on a specific geographical area where numerous resource issues converge. This year our focus will be on the Colorado Plateau. We will begin by embarking on an interdisciplinary study of the geography, the history, ecological issues, cultural issues, resource development and use issues, and the economy of the Region. We will then consider current legal and policy issues on the Plateau as they relate to federal public lands, wildlife resources and habitats, Tribal co-stewardship, water quantity and quality, Native American law and Native American rights, land use planning, air pollution, and the balance between state and federal power.

Author Ray Wheeler describes the Colorado Plateau as follows:

The Colorado Plateau is a physiographic "province," a region geologically and topographically distinct from other parts of the West. Originally named the "Colorado Plateaus" by explorer John Wesley Powell, the "Plateau" is in fact a huge basin ringed by highlands and filled with plateaus. Sprawling across southeastern Utah, northern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and western Colorado, the Colorado Plateau province covers a land area of 130,000 square miles. Of America's 50 states, only Alaska, Texas, California, and Montana are larger.

Asked to explain what makes the Colorado Plateau unique, geographers grow cryptic, enigmatic, even mystical. Perhaps that is inevitable, for nothing is more typical of the "Plateau" than enigma itself. Geologically, it is perhaps best defined by what did not happen to it. While the Rocky Mountains to the east and the basin and range country to the west were being thrust, stretched, and fractured into existence, the Colorado Plateau earned a name for itself by the simple device of remaining structurally intact.

"The Colorado Plateau is extremely ancient," says author F.A. Barnes, an expert on the region's geology. "As a distinct mass of continental crust, it is at least 500 million years old -- probably a lot older." Such longevity is especially impressive when one considers the globetrotting adventures of the North American continent from the perspective of continental drift theory. Over a period of 300 to 400 million years, while the land mass that would become the North American continent inched northward from the South Pole, gradually disengaging itself from Africa, Asia, and South America, the Colorado Plateau region drifted along comfortably on its western edge. Now shoreline, now inundated by rising seas, the entire region accumulated huge quantities of sediment, gradually sinking under its own weight until heat and pressure hardened the deposits into a mantle of sedimentary rock several miles thick. Even when the entire western United States began to rise some 10 million years ago, eventually climbing to elevations as much as three miles above sea level, the Colorado Plateau region remained stable – perhaps "floating" on a cushion of molten rock.

Though volcanic eruptions ring its perimeter, few have penetrated the interior of the Colorado Plateau. Blocked by massive layers of sedimentary rock, rising magma could do no more than bulge its thick roof into domes -- the "laccolithic" Henry, La Sal, and Abajo mountain ranges -- before cooling and hardening in place. The tremendous tectonic forces which formed the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains had far less effect on the Colorado Plateau. Shielded or cushioned by something deep in the earth, the Plateau mirrored those forces but dimly -- as broad, dome-shaped uplifts, shallow basins, and long folds or "reefs."

Wilderness at the Edge: A Citizen Proposal to Protect Utah's Canyons and Deserts, Utah Wilderness Coalition, at97-104 (1990).

The Colorado Plateau is an area of extremes. It can be bitterly cold in the winter and unbearably hot in the summer. It is among the most beautiful places on earth but it is also quite fragile. And it is the scene of many significant environmental conflicts and controversies, including, for example, proposals to build two massive dams in the Grand Canyon (which failed), the decision to build a massive coal-fired power plant in Page, Arizona (which operated for decades and recently closed), and the decision to designate several major national monuments in the region, including most notably, the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and the Bears Ears National Monument (which are both embroiled in ongoing litigation). Resources issues involve grazing, mining, logging, oil and gas development, renewable energy development, primitive and motorized recreation, water rights (including Indian water rights), wildlife, including endangered species, and important cultural resources and Tribal co-stewardship.

The seminar is divided into three parts. The first part includes the nine weeks of the semester before Spring break. To get us ready and in the mood for the seminar, we will read Charles Wilkinson’s, terrific book, Fire on the Plateau, and Ed Abbey’s, The Monkey Wrench Gang, over the holiday break. The first class will discuss logistics for the course as well as these two books.

During the following eight weeks of the class four groups of students will each prepare and present materials under our supervision that cover various aspects of the Colorado Plateau. Each group will have two classes to share what they have learned, to answer questions, and to facilitate discussion. We will have one introductory class before student presentations begin, but this schedule means that the first group will have to prepare their materials over the holiday break so that they are ready to go on week two of the seminar. (The other groups should also begin to collect the materials that they will use over the break.) We will oversee this effort with meetings and discussions that suggest the most useful materials to share.

Set forth below are the four subject areas that the groups will cover during the first part of the course:

Group 1:The history of the Colorado Plateau, including the cultural and natural history of the region, historic resource development and uses.
Group 2:The legal framework that underlies the management of the Colorado Plateau.This should include a review of the key statutes such as the Federal Land Policy and Management act (FLPMA), the General Mining Law, the National Forest Management Act (NFMA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Antiquities Act, the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and perhaps others.This should be a review for most students and should be approached accordingly, but it is important for setting the stage for the last two groups.
Group 3: Contemporary resource and development issues, including conflicts over mineral development, oil and gas development, water development and water resources, logging, agricultural development including grazing, and renewable energy development.
Group 4: Protected lands, endangered species, cultural resources and Tribal co-stewardship, climate change, and ecological issues.This should include the present and expected future impacts of climate change on the region and its implications for law and policy. It should also address issues relating to the fragmentation of the ecosystem from development and recreation activities.

The second part of the course involves a week-long field trip. We will meet with land managers, lawyers, tribal representatives, environmentalists, political leaders, business people, and other informed people in the region, and conduct on-site visits to experience the area’s unique resources. We are particularly interested in understanding conflicts and possible solutions to those conflicts as informed by our interdisciplinary studies.

In 2025, the field trip will take place during our spring break, from Friday, March 21st through Saturday, March 29th. The field trip is a critical part of this course, and students must commit to participate fully in the field trip as a condition for enrolling in the course. We have a modest budget for running this course and we will try to organize the course so that we can stay in comfortable accommodations with minimal additional costs for the participants.

There may be opportunities to hike or engage in other recreational activities during the field trip, and we will ensure that the trip is accessible and welcoming for all students. Please reach out to Professors Winter and Squillace if you have any questions about the trip.

This is a seminar, so each student will be expected to prepare a substantial research paper that relates to some aspect of the issues and resources affecting the Colorado Plateau. During the third part of the course, which includes the four weeks after spring break, students will workshop their draft papers.

We look forward to working with you to make this course informative, inspiring, fun, and a great success!

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Fri, Oct 4 & Sat, Oct 5: Martz Symposium on Public Lands

Anonymous — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 21:02:32 +0000

Fri, Oct 4 & Sat, Oct 5: Martz Symposium on Public Lands Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 15:02

The Getches-Wilkinson Center, American Indian Law Program and Colorado Environmental Law Journal are pleased to present the 2024 Martz Symposium on Public Lands.

The Future of Public Lands – People, Place, and Power

Public lands across the United States provide us with clean water, energy and food production, world-class recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat, and many other important values. Indigenous peoples have deep ties to the land informed by their traditional ecological knowledge. And public lands drive economic opportunities and job creation for rural communities. For all these reasons, the American public broadly supports the protection and sustainable use of public lands, yet they are facing unprecedented threats from resource degradation, climate change, the demands of multiple uses, and challenges in agency funding levels.

The 2024 Martz Symposium will take a deep dive into these rapid changes that are unfolding in real time and how they impact our relationship to the land. The Conference will consider the latest developments and proposed reforms to the laws and policies that govern our management of public lands, including a look at those laws that are standing in the way of progress and others that have helped to pave the way for innovation. And the Conference will convene a diverse and inclusive set of stakeholders, policymakers, academics, and advocates to share ideas on how best we can steward and care for America’s public lands for current and future generations.

Fri, October 4 - Saturday, October 5, 2024
8am-4:30pm

Wolf Law Building, Wittemyer Courtroom
Breakfast, Snack and Lunch provided daily
Attendee reception provided on Fri, Oct 4

12 General Colorado CLE credits are available for this event.

REGISTRATION

Early Bird Rates until Sun, September 15th.
Registration Closes end of business day Wed, Oct 2nd.

Symposium Recordings and Photographs

The recordings of the 2024 Martz Symposium on Public Lands can be found here.

Barb Colombo of 11:11 Photography Productions captured images of the Martz Symposium. These images are available for viewing here.

Symposium Program

Friday, October 4, 2024

8:00 am – 8:45 am      Breakfast and Networking
8:45 am – 9:00 am      Welcome and Opening Remarks
9:00 am – 10:15 am    BLM’s 2024 Public Lands Rule – Conservation and the Multiple Use Framework
10:15 am – 10:45 am Break
10:45 am – 12:00 pm The Future of Oil and Gas on America’s Public Lands
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm    Lunch
1:00 pm – 2:15 pm      Renewable Energy Development and the Protection of Cultural and Natural Resources
2:15 pm – 2:45 pm      Break
2:45 pm – 4:15 pm      Debating the Future of the Antiquities Act
4:15 pm – 6:00 pm      Reception

Saturday, October 5, 2024

8:15 am – 8:45 am      Breakfast and Networking
8:45 am - 9:00 am    Welcome back and morning announcements
9:00 am – 10:15 am    Evolutions in Tribal Co-Stewardship
10:15 am – 10:45 am Break
10:45 am – 12:00 pm Mining Reform and the Development of Critical Minerals
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm    Lunch
1:00 pm – 2:15 pm      Forests, Wildfire, and the Protection of Old-Growth in the Era of Climate Change
2:15 pm – 2:45 pm      Break
2:45 pm – 4:00 pm      Permitting Reform on Public Lands – The Delicate Balance Between Energy, Equity, and the Environment
4:00 pm                         Adjourn

Conference Speakers: (subject to change)

S. James Anaya, University Distinguished Professor and Nicholas Doman Professor of International Law, University of Colorado Law School
Tommy Beaudreau, Partner, WilmerHale
Bret Birdsong, Professor of Law, University of Nevada School of Law
Matthew Campbell, Deputy Director, Native American Rights Fund
Nada Culver, Principal Deputy Director, Bureau of Land Management
Dr. Steven Feldgus, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management, U.S. Department of the Interior
Alison Flint, Senior Legal Director, The Wilderness Society
Michael Freeman, Senior Attorney, Earthjustice
Frank Garrison, Attorney, Pacific Legal Foundation
Pat Gonzalez-Rogers, Executive Fellow and Lecturer, Yale School of the Environment
Peter Gower, Climate and Renewable Energy Program Director for the Western U.S. and Canada Divisions, The Nature Conservancy
Mary Greene, Senior Counsel, American Clean Power
Bill Imbergamo, Executive Director, Federal Forest Resource Coalition
Cort Jensen, Chief Attorney, Montana Department of Agriculture
Sarah Matsumoto, Clinical Associate Professor and Director, Environmental Law Clinic, University of Colorado Law School
Tom McDonald, Vice-Chair of Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
Heidi McIntosh, Managing Attorney, Rocky Mountain Regional Office, Earthjustice
Scott Miller, Senior Regional Director, The Wilderness Society
Monte Mills, Charles I. Stone Professor of Law, University of Washington School of Law
Jamie Pleune, Research Associate Professor, University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law
Justin Pidot, Professor of Law, University of Arizona School of Law
John Ruple, Research Professor of Law, University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law
Taylor Schad, Policy Advisory on Forest Service and Natural Resources, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Howard M. Shanker, Attorney General, Tohono O’odham Nation
Kathleen Sgamma, President, Western Energy Alliance
Mark Squillace, Raphael J. Moses Professor of Law, University of Colorado Law School
Pilar Thomas, Partner, Quarles & Brady
Chase Velasquez, Attorney, Rothstein Donatelli LLP
Chris Winter, Executive Director, Getches-Wilkinson Center, University of Colorado Law School
Sandra B. Zellmer, Professor, Univeristy of Montana School of Law

Hotel Information

GWC has a hotel room block at the Residence Inn Canyon Blvd in ��Vlog�ƽ�� from Wed, October 3 - Sat, October 6. Click here to book online. The room block is available on a first come, first serve basis and is valid until September 13th or until all rooms are filled.

Conference Partnerships

We’re now accepting conference partners at all levels. For more info please email annie.carlozzi@colorado.edu.
Learn more about our partnerships here.

Thank you to our Conference Partners!

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Thurs, Sept 26: Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture in Natural Resources

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Thurs, Sept 26: Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture in Natural Resources Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 08/26/2024 - 00:00

The Getches-Wilkinson Center and American Indian Law Program are pleased to present the 2024 Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture.

Public Lands, Water, and Tribal Sovereignty in an Era of Energy Transition

Policies regarding federal public lands and waters must adjust to the reality of climate change and the inevitable trend toward a clean energy economy. Over the last four years, the federal government has moved sharply to promote solar and wind energy on federal lands, while limiting fossil fuel development. And in a time of rising temperatures and prolonged drought, management of over-appropriated river basins in arid areas requires unprecedented creativity and cooperation. In other regions, like the Columbia River Basin, priorities include restoration of fish habitat coupled with continuing support to regional economies. More than ever before, Indian tribes, treaty rights, and co-stewardship initiatives shape the way in which all of these diverse natural resources are viewed and managed, while groups favored by past policies strive to protect their interests. This lecture will canvas these and related topics as experienced in the Department of the Interior over the past four years and suggest future paths toward sound stewardship.

Bob Anderson

Solicitor of the Department of the Interior

Bob Anderson is a law professor with extensive experience in American Indian law, public land, and water law. He is an enrolled member of the Bois Forte Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. He taught at the University of Washington School of Law and directed its Native American Law Center for the past twenty years. For over a decade he has been an annual visiting professor at Harvard Law School. He served as the Associate Solicitor for Indian Affairs and Counselor to the Secretary under Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt. He began his career as a staff attorney for the Native American Rights Fund.

Thurs, September 26th

12-12:50pm Student Lunch with Bob Anderson Room 207 - no registration required

6:00-7:30pm - Lecture: Wolf Law Building, Wittemyer Courtroom
7:30-8:30pm - Reception for all registered attendees

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required to attend and/or receive the livestream link.
In person and Virtual (Zoom) attendance available.
There will be a reception following the lecture. Details will be sent to registered participants prior to the event.

2 General Colorado CLE credits are available for this event.

Lecture Photographs

Barb Colombo of 11:11 Photography Productions captured images of the Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture. These images are available for viewing here.

Lecture Recordings

The lecture recording can be found here.

The Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture in Natural Resources

In 2018, the GWC received a generous gift from the Wright Family Foundation to establish the Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture in Natural Resources in honor of her inspiring legacy as a leader in western natural resources, land conservation, and environmental policy and advocacy. With this support, we look forward to bringing this free event to our community for years to come.

As a legislator, environmentalist, and historian, Ruth Wright dedicated her career to environmental issues and activism. While a student at Colorado Law, she led efforts to preserve ��Vlog�ƽ��’s open space and limit the height of buildings in ��Vlog�ƽ�� to 55 feet to protect enjoyment of the unique landscape for the ages. In 1980, she was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives, where she represented ��Vlog�ƽ�� until 1994. She was also the second woman ever to become the House minority leader, a role she held from 1986 until 1992. While serving in the House of Representatives, Wright continued to be a strategic champion for the environment, and has been recognized by such groups as the Colorado Wildlife Foundation, the ACLU, the Sierra Club, and Colorado Open Lands.

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Past Events

Tommy Beaudreau on “The Lords of Yesterday and the Imperatives of Now”: Challenges to Energy Transition on Public Lands

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2025/26 Natural Resource and American Indian Law Course Preview

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The Legal Effect of Executive Orders - Professor Panel March 18th

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Feb 25th: Schultz Lecture in Energy with Tommy Beaudreau

“The Lords of Yesterday and the Imperatives of Now”

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Preserving Dinetah: Water Security for Generations, the Nation’s Water Settlements Currently before Congress

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Reflections on the Martz Symposium on Public Lands

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Reflections on the Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture

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Application Open: Advanced Natural Resources Field Seminar Spring 2025

ADVANCED NATURAL RESOURCES SEMINAR: THE COLORADO PLATEAU

Applications are now open for this seminar.

Download application instructions here.

Deadline To Apply: Mon, Nov 4th by 5pm

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Fri, Oct 4 & Sat, Oct 5: Martz Symposium on Public Lands

The Future of Public Lands – People, Place, and Power

Fri, October 4 - Saturday, October 5, 2024 8am-4:30pm

REGISTRATION

Symposium Recordings and Photographs

Symposium Program

Conference Speakers: (subject to change)

Hotel Information

Conference Partnerships

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Thurs, Sept 26: Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture in Natural Resources

Public Lands, Water, and Tribal Sovereignty in an Era of Energy Transition

Bob Anderson

Solicitor of the Department of the Interior

Thurs, September 26th

12-12:50pm Student Lunch with Bob Anderson Room 207 - no registration required

6:00-7:30pm - Lecture: Wolf Law Building, Wittemyer Courtroom 7:30-8:30pm - Reception for all registered attendees

Lecture Photographs

Lecture Recordings

The Ruth Wright Distinguished Lecture in Natural Resources

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Fri, October 4 - Saturday, October 5, 2024
8am-4:30pm

6:00-7:30pm - Lecture: Wolf Law Building, Wittemyer Courtroom
7:30-8:30pm - Reception for all registered attendees