Energy Law and Policy Issues Focus of UW Conference Oct. 26

David Bernhardt, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, is the keynote speaker for the 2018 Landscape Discussion on Energy Law and Policy in the Rockies at the University of Wyoming Friday, Oct. 26.

National, regional and local experts will discuss current energy topics and securing a sustainable natural resource future at the daylong conference at the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center.

The UW School of Energy Resources and the UW College of Law’s Center for Law and Energy Resources in the Rockies (CLERR) host this annual conference, in collaboration with the Wyoming State Bar’s Energy and Natural Resources Section.

“We look forward to hosting this conference every year,” says Temple Stoellinger, co-director of CLERR.  “This conference is open to the public and is a great opportunity to learn more about current topics and issues of energy and environmental law currently at play in the Rocky Mountain region.”

The conference begins at 8 a.m. with a welcome and remarks by UW President Laurie Nichols and former Gov. Dave Freudenthal, followed by panel discussions. Bernhardt will present the keynote address at 1 p.m.

Bernhardt is the second-highest ranking official at the Interior Department, with statutory responsibilities as the chief operating officer of an agency of more than 70,000 employees and an annual budget of approximately $12 billion.

He has in-depth experience in legal matters concerning active regulations and rule-making, with years of legal experience in both the government and the private sector. His expertise ranges from the Endangered Species Act to Outer Continental leases, and from mining royalties to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

“We are particularly excited about this year’s lineup of topics and speakers, as we are covering a number of really important issues and topics,” Stoellinger says.

Conference session topics are: “National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Expediting for Energy Infrastructure”; “Current Issues Facing the Oil and Gas Industry”; and “Renewable and Transmission Infrastructure.”

The conference is $50 for the public and is free for UW students, faculty and staff members. Continuing Legal Education credits and American Association of Professional Landmen credits are available. To register for the conference or to view the schedule, go to www.uwyo.edu/ser/engagement/events/law-conf-2018.html.

For more information, call Emily Sorenson at (720) 979-7200 or email serforum@uwyo.edu.