We’ve just finalized the agenda and faculty for the Hawaii Water Law conference, to be held in Honolulu on January 11, 2012. I am the planning co-chair along with Jesse Souki, Director of the State of Hawaii Office of Planning.
In addition to Jesse and me, we’ve assembled a diverse and talented faculty: UH lawprof David Callies will speak with Elijah Yip (Cades) on the latest developments in water law and public trust litigation. State Water Commissioner Lawrence Miike will update us on the latest goings-on at the Commission. My Damon Key partner Greg Kugle is speaking with Leo Asuncion, the Manager of the Coastal Zone Management Program at the State Office of Planning on coastal issues.
After lunch, we have a special guest, Ed Thomas (a lawyer and President of the National Hazard Mitigation Association, and a nationaly known expert in floodplain management and disaster relief), who will speak with Jesse Souki and Richard Wallsgrove (Starn) about how the law is dealing with “climate change” adaptation. Lisa Bail (Goodsill) and I will speak about federal environmental issues and regulatory jurisdiction, including a summary of the Sackett v. EPA case now pending at the U.S. Supreme Court.
We will end the day with an hour of Hawaii mandatory ethics CLE credits (MCPE), with Carole Richelieu, former Chief Disciplinary Counsel for the State of Hawaii (and me) addressing ethical issues when dealing with agencies and boards.
Here’s the complete agenda. Why should you attend?
Water – and water law – is at the core of nearly every issue in Hawaii, an island state. Whether it involves the management of fresh water resources, issues surrounding the shoreline, or how government agencies and private landowners are dealing with the issue of “climate change,” these are issues about which every lawyer, official, and planner should be aware.
It’s not too early to sign up. More details to follow as the date draws closer. For you mainland folks, we’re covering much more than Hawaii issues, and January is a real good time to come to sunny Honolulu. If you come, I’ll even buy you lunch or maybe a cocktail at sunset “Under the Moana banyan tree” as the song goes (and no, that’s NOT me).
Contact me or Jesse for more information.