Here:
| 8:00 am | Registration |
| 8:30 am | Welcome & Prayer |
| 8:45 am | Roundtable on the Federal Trust Responsibility – Perspectives of a Federal Government Lawyer Government attorneys from Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Interior, Department of Justice and other Federal agencies will discuss the roles and responsibilities of federal lawyers when administering programs that impact tribes. They will also discuss how to navigate the bureaucracy on behalf of your clients. Speakers: |
| 9:45 am | Break |
| 10:00 am | Federal Recognition Recently the Department of the Interior issued proposed revisions to the regulations on the Federal acknowledgment of Indian tribes. This panel will discuss the new regulations, legislative efforts to obtain recognition, the potential recognition of Native Hawaiians, and the right to tribal self-determination that is recognized under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Moderator: Gina Allery |
| 11:00 am | Environmental Law and Indian Tribes The White House recently announced the new Tribal Climate Resilience Program to assist tribes in preparing for climate change and as part of that program, the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are partnering to create a new subgroup on climate change under the White House Council on Native American Affairs. In addition, EPA unveiled its Policy on Environmental Justice for Working with Federally Recognized Tribes and Indigenous Peoples in July. This panel will discuss the impact of climate change on tribal communities, EPA’s and other Federal agencies policies, and the incorporation of traditional ecological knowledge into agency decisions. Moderator: Wilda Wahpepah – Sheppard Mullin |
| 12:00 pm | Lunch Keynote Kevin Gover, Director of the National Museum of the American Indian |
| 1:30 pm | Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) With the IGRA turning 25 last year, several legal, legislative and technological developments potentially threaten the ability of tribes to operate profitable gaming facilities. As the tribal gaming industry matures, technological advances in gaming machines are impacting the scope of class II and class III gaming and the rise of internet gaming could potentially impact brick and mortar operations. Additionally, the Obama Administration’s gaming decisions and policies are impacting tribal-state compact negotiations and a state’s role under the IGRA. This panel will discuss these topics and the potential pitfalls that each one presents to tribal gaming operations. Moderator: Loretta Tuell, Greenberg Traurig |
| 2:30 pm | Ethics What are the ethical considerations of representing opposing factions in tribal government disputes? Moderator: Richard Guest – NARF |
| 3:45 pm | Break |
| 4:00 pm | Tribal Energy Development With the Obama Administration’s focus on domestic energy development, tribal governments have become interested in exploring opportunities for alternative and renewable energy development. However, several obstacles to these projects remain. This panel will discuss some of the opportunities and challenges regarding alternative and renewable energy development in Indian country and the impact of the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act (HEARTH Act) on these projects. Moderator: Jennifer Turner, U.S. Department of the Interior – Office of the Solicitor |
Turtle Talk 