Law Seminars International Presents:

The 31st Annual Conference on Critical Developments for

Water Law in Washington

Hear the current most pressing develpments in Washington water right and resource management from an exceptional faculty

May 19 & 20, 2022

Live Online via Interactive Broadcast

As a value added bonus, you'll receive access to downloadable audio and video recordings at no additional charge.

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Program Overview

Who Will Benefit from Attending

Attorneys, environmental and land use professionals, local government and Tribal representatives, planners, ports, public utility districts, landowners, water users, and other stakeholders

Why You will Benefit from Attending

Water law and policy in Washington State continues to evolve despite the unprecedented societal disruptions over the past year or so. Population growth and economic development continues to drive demand for water. At the same time, climate change and land management decisions have resulted in increased pressure on instream resources.

This year's seminar will address recent changes and hot topics in Washington water law. The program will cover the status of water rights adjudications, relinquishment of water rights and the applicability of exemptions, legal and technical tips for preparing successful water right change applications, insights regarding Water Code enforcement, and consultation requirements involving Tribal senior water rights.

Water law practitioners will not want to miss the practice tips panel, brought to you by the Honorable Neil Wise from the Pollution Control Hearings Board. The Water Law Refresher and the annual Case Law Update and Legislation Rollout will also be valuable resources for anyone involved in water management in Washington.

You will have an opportunity to hear perspectives on the current issues from state, local, and Tribal officials, water law practitioners and consultants who specialize in these areas. We will also hear from former Washington State Supreme Court Justice Philip Talmadge on the topic of ethical issues in appellate litigation and brief writing.

We hope you'll join us for what promises to be a timely and informative program. Register now . We hope to "see" you there.

~

Joseph A. Brogan, Esq. of Foster Garvey and Joshua Osborne-Klein, Esq. of Washington State Attorney General's Office, Program Co-Chairs

What You Will Learn

  • The structural foundation for water rights in Washington
  • Relinquishment and the applicability of exemptions
  • Water right changes and transfers
  • Water code enforcement
  • New developments in water conservation requirements
  • Conservancy Boards and cost recovery disbursement applications
  • Acquavella: What next after the final order?
  • Tribal consultation requirements for water permitting decisions
  • Legislative update
  • Implementation of Stream Recovery Act pilot projects
  • Case law update
  • PCHB and appellate jurisdiction
  • Ethical issues for water law practitioners

What Participants Have Said About Similar Programs

  • "It was VERY good so thank you for arranging the speakers."
  • "Fabulous seminar. I greatly appreciate it!"
  • "All materials supportive and will be helpful in post reviews."
  • "Excellent and very qualified speakers."
  • "This program was very topical and I found that extremely useful. Nicely done!"

Agenda Day 1

9:00 am

Introduction & Overview

Joshua Osborne-Klein, Esq. , Program Co-Chair, Assistant Attorney General
Washington State Attorney General's Office / Olympia, WA

Joseph A. Brogan, Esq. , Program Co-Chair
Foster Garvey / Seattle, WA

9:15 am

Washington Water Law Refresher

The structural foundation for water rights in Washington: The prior appropriation system; interplay between water rights and needs for reallocation, pollution control, wildlife protection, recreation, instream low maintenance, and environmental quality

Courtney J. Throgmorton, Esq. , Assistant Attorney General - Ecology Division
Washington State Attorney General's Office / Olympia, WA

10:00 am

New Developments in Water Conservation Requirements

Margaret Franquemont, Esq. , Staff Attorney
Center for Environmental Law & Policy / Seattle, WA

10:45 am

Break

11:00 am

Conservancy Boards

Purpose of the boards and how they work; Ecology's review processes.

Benjamin Carr , Conservancy Board Coordinator
Washington State Department of Ecology / Yakima, WA

Chuck Brushwood, Esq. , Senior Fish and Wildlife Policy Analyst
Colville Confederated Tribes / Nespelem, WA

12:15 pm

Lunch Break

1:15 pm

Relinquishment and the Applicability of Exemptions

Update on Ecology's policy guidance relating to relinquishment, recission, and abandonment of water rights; lessons from recent cases involving asserted exceptions under RCW 90.14.140

Matt Janz, Esq. , Assistant State Attorney General
Washington Attorney General's Office / Olympia, WA

2:00 pm

Water Code Enforcement

Statutory provisions and Ecology's processes for enforcing conducting enforcement actions

Joshua Osborne-Klein, Esq. , Program Co-Chair
Washington State Attorney General's Office / Olympia, WA

What to do if you receive a "Technical Assistance" letter

Joseph A. Brogan, Esq. , Program Co-Chair
Foster Garvey / Seattle, WA

3:30 pm

Break

3:45 pm

Water Right Changes and Transfers

Changes in use and other problematic areas; what to expect for challenges; legal and technical tips for preparing successful applications and challenges

Chelsea Jefferson , Hydrogeologist
Washington Sate Department of Ecology / Bellevue, WA

Dan Haller , Principal Engineer
Aspect Consulting / Yakima, WA

5:00 pm

Adjourn Day 1

Friday, May 20, 2022

9:00 am

After Acquavella VI

Overview of actions to be taken and issues to be resolved

Robin McPherson, Esq. , Adjudication Manager
Washington State Department of Ecology / Olympia, WA

9:45 am

Tribes as Sovereigns with Senior Water Rights: Consultation Requirements for Water Permitting Decisions

Consultation policies at the Attorney General's office, including recognition of customary Tribal law plus traditional religious and other practices that may make some things nonnegotiable

Asa K. Washines , Tribal Liaison
Washington State Attorney General's Office / Olympia, WA

Yakama Nation v. Ecology (Lund Solar) settlement agreement and communication protocol

Shona Voelckers, Esq. , Staff Attorney
Yakama Nation / Toppenish, WA

Stephen H. North, Esq. , Assistant Attorney General
Washington State Attorney General's Office / Olympia, WA

11:00 am

Break

11:15 am

Legislative Rollout

Bills in the 2022 session and how the political dynamics played out; expectations for legislative initiatives in 2023

Kathleen Collins , Owner
Capitol Strategies Consulting / Olympia, WA

Update on implementation of Stream Recovery Act pilot projects

Joseph A. Brogan, Esq. , Program Co-Chair
Foster Garvey / Seattle, WA

12:15 pm

Lunch Break

1:15 pm

Case Law Update

Recent noteworthy judicial and administrative cases

Alan Reichman, Esq. , Senior Counsel
Washington State Attorney General's Office / Olympia, WA

2:00 pm

PCHB and Appellate Jurisdiction

Tips for building a record before the PCHB and direct appeals to the Court of Appeals.

The Hon. Neil L. Wise, Esq. , Board Member
Pollution Control and Shorelines Hearings Board / Olympia, WA

Tips for building a record before the PCHB and direct appeals to the Court of Appeals

Philip A. Talmadge, Esq.
Talmadge/Fitzpatrick / Tukwila, WA

2:45 pm

Break

3:00 pm

Ethical Issues in Appellate Litigation and Brief Writing

Obligations under RPC 3.1/RAP 18.9(a); client explanation of issues on appeal; requirements regarding citing authorities and extra-record material; other problematic issues

Philip A. Talmadge, Esq.
Talmadge/Fitzpatrick / Tukwila, WA

4:00 pm

Evaluations and Adjourn

Faculty Bios

Joseph A. Brogan, Joseph A. Brogan, Program Co-Chair, is a partner at Foster Garvey and one of the leading water rights lawyers in Washington state. He provides strategic advice, permitting and litigation support to water purveyors, public utility districts, ports, industry clients and private property owners.

Joshua Osborne-Klein, Joshua Osborne-Klein, Program Co-Chair, is an Assistant Attorney General for the Washington State Attorney General's Office. He previously served as a Staff Attorney for the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and was in private practice where he represented a variety of clients including Indian Tribes.

Chuck Brushwood Chuck Brushwood is a Senior Fish and Wildlife Policy Analyst for the Colville Confederated Tribes and advises the Tribe on matters relating to fish and wildlife management, harvest, enforcement, and jurisdiction with a particular emphasis on the Endangered Species Act and salmon and steelhead recovery. He currently serves on the Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board and as Chair of the Okanogan County Water Conservancy Board.

Benjamin Carr Benjamin Carr is the Central Region Conservancy Board Coordinator for the Washington State Department of Ecology. In that role, he supports seven County Boards in making water right change decisions.

Kathleen Collins, Kathleen Collins, Owner of Capitol Strategies Consulting, represents local governments on environmental issues. Before founding Capitol Strategies, she lobbied for the Association of Washington Cities.

Margaret Franquemont Margaret Franquemont is Staff Attorney for the Center for Environmental Law & Policy (CELP). She has focused her legal career on Environmental & Natural Resource Law as well as Ocean & Coastal Law.

Dan Haller Dan Haller is a Principal Engineer at Aspect Consulting focusing on water rights and systems. His background includes management of storage and conservation projects; water banking and water rights transfers; and water system design, planning, and financial planning.

Matt Janz Matt Janz is an Assistant Attorney General at the Washington State Attorney General's Office.

Chelsea Jefferson Chelsea Jefferson is a Hydrogeologist for the Department of Ecology and formerly served as a permit writer. She formerly worked as a hydrogeologist in private practice.

Robin McPherson is the Adjudication Manager for the Department of Ecology. She previously represented the Ecology Water Resources Program as an Assistant Attorney General.

Stephen H. North is an Assistant Attorney General at the Washington State Attorney General's Office

Alan Reichman Alan Reichman is Senior Counsel at the Washington State Office of the Attorney General. He serves as Section Manager of the Water Resources Section of the Ecology Division and represents the Department in water resources and water quality cases before the Pollution Control Hearings Board and in state and federal courts. He also counsels the Department of Ecology's Water Resources Program and represented Ecology in the Yakima River Basin water rights adjudication.

Philip A. Talmadge, Philip A. Talmadge, Talmadge/Fitzpatrick, served in the Washington State Senate from 1979 to 1995 and on the Washington Supreme Court from 1995 to 2001. He has taught appellate advocacy at the Seattle University and University of Washington Law Schools.

Courtney J. Throgmorton is an Assistant Attorney General in the Ecology Division of the Washington State Attorney General's Office.

Shona Voelckers Shona Voelckers is a Staff Attorney for the Yakama Nation. Her practice focuses on protecting Yakama Nation's Treaty-reserved cultural and natural resources through litigation and collaborative land use planning with local jurisdictions and state and federal agencies.

Asa Washines is Asa Washines is the Tribal Liaison for the Washington State Attorney General's Office. He is a former Yakima Nation Councilmember and recently served as Policy Advisor to the Navajo Nation.

The Hon. Neil L. Wise The Hon. Neil L. Wise is the Chair of the Pollution Control Hearings Board and Shorelines Hearings Board. Prior to his appointment to the Boards, he was a Senior Counsel at the Washington Attorney General's Office, where he represented the Washington Departments of Fish and Wildlife and Natural Resources, and the Forest Practices Board.

Continuing Education Credits

Live credits: This program qualifies for 11.75 (1 Ethics included) Washington MCLE, 11.75 ABCEP environmental professional, and 11.75 AICP land use planner credits. Upon request, we will help you apply for CLE credits in other states and other types of credits.

I appreciate LSI's seamless segue from registration, an informative seminar, to end result.

Accessing the Live Program

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