News Archive

More than 200 people—and not all lawyers—attended the IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law Environmental, Energy & Natural Resources Law Symposium on Friday, March 22.

Environmental activists, government officials and non-profit leaders joined law students and attorneys at the “Environmental Resilience: The Legal and Policy Landscape” symposium, which was a point that IU McKinney Professor of Practice Janet McCabe stressed during her introduction.

Indiana faces challenges due to rapid environmental change, but “these problems won’t be solved by one group of people,” Professor McCabe (left) said. “It will take everyone working together, especially as we attempt to minimize problems related to climate, especially for the most vulnerable groups of our population.”

Goshen, Indiana Mayor Jeremy Stutsman delivered the keynote address, “Local Government Challenges and Opportunities for Planning for Environmental Change: The View from Goshen.” In discussing his city’s environmental strides, Stutzman noted creation of parks, solar power projects and his pledge to work toward carbon neutrality for Goshen by 2035.

“Green thinking,” is important for the future, but arguing about climate change is not, said Stutsman, who said that there is little doubt that extreme weather associated with climate change is already seen as accelerating damage to Goshen’s infrastructure.

 “We are working to build the argument for Goshen to take an even stronger position on the environment,” Stutsman (left) said.

Melissa Wildman, Operations Manager of the Purdue Climate Change Research Center, presented evidence about climate change impacts to Indiana infrastructure, farming, water, energy and safety in her presentation, “What Does Climate Change Mean for Indiana?”

Since the beginning of the 20^th century in Indiana, temperatures have risen 1.2 degrees Fahrenheit and total annual precipitation has increased by nearly 5 inches. Increased heavy rainfall has led to more flooding and there have been more record-breaking heatwaves. Climate trends point to these climate trends continuing and intensifying, Wildman said.

“It’s extremely difficult for Midwesterners to think of climate change as a Midwestern problem, but it is happening now, and it is hurting Hoosiers,” Wildman said.

The symposium was sponsored by IU McKinney and the IU Grand Challenge: Prepared for Environmental Change and the Environmental Resilience Institute.

IU McKinney Law students presented posters of their research projects throughout the day, with Daniel Pereira (below), a student in the LL.M. program, winning special recognition for innovative thinking, and Quentin Collins, a third-year J.D. student, who was recognized for work in progress.

Other speakers and panel moderators included:

• Erin Rowe, Response and Recovery Division Director, Indiana Department of Homeland Security
• Freedom Smith, Partner, Ice Miller
• Chad Priest, CEO, American Red Cross Indiana
• Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard
• Phillippa Guthrie, Chief Counsel, City of Bloomington
• Julie Ezell, Associate General Counsel, Duke Energy
• Josh Trenary, Executive Director, Indiana Pork Producers
• Michael Dunn, Indiana Director of Freshwater Conservation Programs, The Nature Conservancy
• Terry Hall, Terry Hall Law Offices
• Julia Wickard, Assistant Commission and Agricultural Liaison
• Tristan Vance, Chief Energy Officer, Indiana Department of Energy
• Jesse Kharbanda, Executive Director, Hoosier Environmental Council
• Maggie Rice, Vice President and Deputy General Council, NiSource
• Christian Freitag, Executive Director, Indiana University Conservation Law Clinic
• Paul Babcock, Director, Mayor’s Office of Public Health and Safety, City of Indianapolis
• Andrea Ciobanu, Ciobanu Law
• Adam Mueller, Director of Advocacy, Indiana Legal Services

News from the symposium was covered in stories appearing in the Washington Times Herald and The Indiana Lawyer.