SYMPOSIUM

ON THE

SETTLEMENT OF INDIAN RESERVED WATER RIGHTS CLAIMS

AGENDA

SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 2009

6:30 - 8:30 pm         Early Registration

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2009

  7:00 am                  Registration

  8:30 am                                 WELCOME

                                Introductory Remarks

                                                Henry Cagey, Chairman, Lummi Nation/John Echohawk, Executive Director, Native American Rights Fund

                                                Tony Willardson, Executive Director, Western States Water Council

                                Invocation – by invitation

  9:00 - 10:00            KEYNOTE ADDRESS SPEAKER: Jay Manning, Director, Washington Department of Ecology

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

                                Panel Discussion

                                    Moderator: Steven Moore, Senior Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund

                                                Federal: Randy Chandler, Deputy Manager, Phoenix Area, Bureau of Reclamation

                                                   State: Andrew B. Dunn, Section Manager, Water Resources Program, Washington Department of Ecology                                                       Tribal: Robert Bear, Chairman, Shoshone-Paiute Business Council

12:00 - 1:30             Lunch Break

 1:30 - 3:00               Identifying Parties and Issues and How Negotiations Bind Larger Groups

                                Panel Discussion

                                    Moderator: Barbara Markham, Assistant Attorney General, Washington Attorney General’s Office

                                                Federal: Duane Mecham, Senior Attorney, Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor

                                                   State: Chris Tweeten, Chairman, Montana Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission

                                                   Tribal: Stanley Pollack, Assistant Attorney General, Navajo Nation

 3:00 - 3:15                                                                                Break

SETTLEMENTS AND GROUND WATER

3:15 - 5:00               Panel Discussion

                                     Moderator: David Gover, Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund

                                                Federal: Robert Talbot, Hydrogeologist/Geologist, Bureau of Reclamation

                                                   State: Ken Slattery, Manager, Water Resources Program, Washington Department of Ecology

                                                   Tribal: Merle Jefferson, Executive Director, Natural Resources Department, Lummi Nation

                                             Academic: Rosalind Bark, PhD, Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona

 6:00 pm                   Reception 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2009

THE ADMINISTRATION’S SETTLEMENT POLICY

 8:30 - 10:00           Listening Session

                                    Moderator: Susan Cottingham, Program Manager, Montana Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission 

                                                   Speaker: Letty Belin, Counselor to Deputy Secretary of the Interior David J. Hayes

10:00 - 10:30           Break

10:30 - 12:00           Response Panel

                                    Moderator: Clayton Matt, Natural Resource Department Head, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes

                                                   Tribal: Scott McElroy, Partner, McElroy, Meyer, Walker & Condon

                                                   State: Susan Cottingham, Program Manager, Montana Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission                                                 

12:00 - 1:30             Lunch Break

1:30 – 3:00              Description of the Lummi Settlement

                                    Moderator: Ken Slattery, Manager, Water Resources Program, Washington Department of Ecology

                                                   Tribal: Harry Johnsen, Partner, Raas, Johnsen & Stuen

                                                   State: Barbara Markham, Assistant Attorney General, Washington State Attorney General’s Office

 3:00 – 6:00              Tour of Lummi Nation

6:00 – evening         Dinner & Cultural Presentation

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2009

SETTLEMENT LEGISLATION: GETTING BILLS THROUGH CONGRESS

  8:30 - 10:15          Congressional Outlook for Funding for Indian Water Rights Settlements

                                   Moderator: Amy Bowers, Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund

                                Panel:

                                                Allison Benny, Majority Staff, Senate Indian Affairs Committee

                                                David Mullon, Minority Staff Director and Chief Counsel, Senate Indian Affairs Committee

                                                Tanya Trujillo, Majority Staff, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

                                                Ryan Smith, Legislative Counsel, Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona (invited)  

                                                Camille Calimlim, Majority Staff, House Natural Resources Committee, Water and Power Subcommittee             

10:15 - 10:30           Break

10:30 - 11:30           Response Panel

                                    Moderator: Candace West, Chief Legal Counsel, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation

                                                     State: Mark Sheridan, Partner, Holland & Hart, LLP

                                                    Tribal: Don Wilson, Director of Natural Resources, Blackfeet Tribe

                                                 Federal: Bella Wolitz, Assistant Legislative Counsel, Office of the Secretary of the Interior

                                             Academic: Barbara Cosens, Associate Professor of Law, University of Idaho College of Law

11:30 - 12:00           WRAP-UP/SUMMARY: Billy Frank, Chairman, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission