SYMPOSIUM
ON THE
SETTLEMENT OF INDIAN RESERVED WATER RIGHTS CLAIMS
AGENDA
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2005
7:00 am Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30 Invocation
WELCOME
Introductory Remarks Karl Dreher, Director, Idaho Department of Water Resources
Rebecca Miles, Chairwoman, Nez Perce Tribe
9:00 - 10:00 KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Barbara Cosens, Associate Professor of Law, University of Idaho
10:00 - 10:30 Break
NEGOTIATION OF INDIAN WATER RIGHTS CLAIMS: THE BASICS
10:30 - 12:00 Gathering Background Information and the Role of Technicians in Negotiations
Moderator: Yvonne Knight, Attorney, Native American Rights Fund
Panel:
Federal: Chris Kenney, Director, Native American Affairs Office, Department of Interior
State: Gregory C. Ridgley, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of the New Mexico State Engineer
Tribal: Susan Williams, Williams & Works, Corrales, NM
12:00 - 1:30 Lunch Break
1:30 - 3:00 Identifying Parties and Issues and How Negotiations Bind Larger Groups
Moderator: Barbara Markham, Assistant Attorney General, Washington Attorney General’s Office, Ecology
Panel:
Tribal: Rodney Lewis, Counsel, Gila River Indian Community
Federal: Susan Schneider, Senior Trial Attorney, Environment & Natural Resources Section, Department of Justice
State: Bill Staudenmaier, Attorney, Ryley, Carlock & Applewhite
3:00 - 3:15 Break
POST-SETTLEMENT MANAGEMENT ISSUES
3:15 - 5:00 Moderator: Daniel Belcourt, Counsel, Chippewa Cree Tribe
Panel:
State: Jay Weiner, Legal Counsel, Montana Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission
Tribal: Bruce Sunchild, Chairman, Water Resources Committee, Chippewa Cree Tribe
Federal: Duane Mecham, Office of the Solicitor, Department of Interior
6:00 Reception
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2005
7:30 am Continental Breakfast
THE ADMINISTRATION’S SETTLEMENT POLICY
8:30 - 10:00 Invocation
Speakers: Jennifer Gimbel, Counselor to the Secretary of the Interior and Chair of the Indian Water Rights Settlement
Working Group
Michael D. Olsen, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Department of Interior
10:00 - 10:30 Break
10:30 - 12:00 Response
Moderator: John Utton, Attorney, Sheehan, Sheehan & Stelzner, PA
Panel:
State: Susan Cottingham, Program Manager, Montana Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission
Tribal: Nelson Cordova, Water Rights Adjudication Coordinator, Taos Pueblo
Other: Jim Sims, Executive Director, Western Business Roundtable
12:00 - 12:30 Lunch Break (Please pick up box lunch, provided.)
12:30 - 2:00 Overview of Nez Perce Settlement
Moderator: Steven Moore, Attorney, Native American Rights Fund
Panel:
Tribal: Rebecca Miles, Chairwoman, Nez Perce Tribe
Federal: Frank Wilson, Attorney, Office of the Regional Solicitor, Department of Interior
State/Local: Clive Strong, Deputy Attorney General, Idaho Attorney General’s Office
2:30 Field Trip - Tour of the Snake River Settlement Features and Dinner at the Nez Perce Reservation
2:30 - Buses depart for field trip; 4:00 - Tour of Nez Perce Tribal Fish Hatchery; 5:30 - Leave hatchery; 6:00 arrive at Nez Perce Tribal Administration Complex in Lapwai for dinner; 8:00 - Leave Lapwai; 9:15 - Arrive in Moscow
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2005
7:30 am Continental Breakfast
SETTLEMENT LEGISLATION: GETTING BILLS THROUGH CONGRESS
8:30 - 10:15 Invocation
Congressional Outlook for Indian Water Rights Settlements
Moderator: Candace West, Assistant Attorney General, Montana
Panel (invited):
David Mullon, Majority General Counsel, Senate Indian Affairs Committee
Janet Erickson, Minority Counsel, Senate Indian Affairs Committee
Nate Gentry, Majority Staff, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Mike Connor, Minority Staff, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Chris Fluhr, Director of the Office of Native American and Insular Affairs, House Resources Committee
Steve Lanich, Minority Legislative Asst., Office of Native American & Insular Affairs, House Resources Com.
Marie Howard Fabrizio, Minority Legislative Asst., Office of Native American & Insular Affairs, House Res. Com.
Ryan Serote, Majority Staff Member, House Native American Caucus
Kimberly Teehee, Minority Staff Member, House Native American Caucus
10:15 - 10:30 Break
10:30 - 11:30 Response
Panel:
Tribal: Stanley Pollack, Counsel, Navajo Nation
State: Bill Hume, Policy & Planning Director, Office of New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson
Federal: Pam Williams, Director, Secretary’s Indian Water Rights Office, Department of Interior
Other: John Thorson, Administrative Law Judge, California Public Utilities Commission
11:30 - 12:00 WRAP-UP/SUMMARY - Clayton Matt, Natural Resources Department Head, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
F:\USERS\CHERYL\HTML\05 settlement symp agenda.wpd