Event Archives

JANUARY 27, 2012
Marine Affairs Student Roundtable Luncheon
"The Law of Oceanography, or What Every Marine Scientist Should Know About Law
But Was Afraid To Ask"
Speaker:  Dennis Nixon, Associate Dean, URI Graduate School of Oceanography

NOVEMBER 2, 2011
Marine Affairs Student Roundtable Luncheon
"Deepwater Horizon and the Oil Pollution Act:  Where Do We Go From Here?"
Speaker:  Catherine Robinson-Hall, Prof., Maritime Studies Program, Williams College-Mystic Seaport

SEPTEMBER 23, 2011
Marine Affairs Student Roundtable Luncheon
"Marine Law Opportunities"

MARCH 25, 2011
Marine Affairs Student Roundtable Luncheon
"Sea Grant Law Fellowships: A Student Perspective"

FEBRUARY 18, 2011
Marine Affairs Student Roundtable Luncheon
Speaker:  Kristin Decas, Executive Director, Harbor Development Commission, Port of New Bedford

OCTOBER 13, 2010
Marine Affairs Student Roundtable Luncheon
"Coastal Issues and Climate Change in the Supreme Court: An Inside Perspective"

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010
Marine Affairs Student Roundtable Luncheon
'Marine Law 2009 - The View from DC and Beyond"

APRIL 13, 2010
Barry Hill, Esq.
Senior Counsel for Environmental Governance
Office of International Affairs
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

The Environmental Law Society and Marine Affairs Institute hosted a presentation by Mr. Hill entitled "Addressing Human Environment Challenges Related to Water in Florida, Puerto Rico and Yemen." Mr. Hill’s talk explored the importance of water access and water quality on human health and the environment, the current and potential impacts of climate change/global warming relating to Florida's, Puerto Rico's and Yemen's groundwater, and discussed law and policy lessons learned.

MARCH 26, 2010
Marine Affairs Student Roundtable Luncheon
"Offshore Wind Energy - Issues and Updates"

FEBRUARY 26, 2010
Marine Affairs Student Roundtable Luncheon
"Marine Spatial Planning - The Latest National and New England Developments"

NOVEMBER 4, 2009
"New England Regional Ocean Law and Policy Workshop: Offshore Wind Facility Siting"
Held in conjunction with the 8th Annual Ronald C. Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium (see below)

NOVEMBER 2-4, 2009
"The Ecology of Marine Windfarms: Regional Perspectives on Impact Mitigation, Siting, and Future Uses"
8th Annual Ronald C. Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium

The purpose of the symposium was to develop opportunities and document progress toward a new vision of designed, permitted, offshore ecosystems that have wind-power energy systems as their focus to provide mutual benefits for multiple uses of ocean space and many new opportunities to develop the “green economy.” More information is available at http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/baird/2009/index.html. 

OCTOBER 23, 2009
Marine Affairs Student Roundtable Luncheon
"International Marine Affairs Issues" 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2009
Marine Affairs Student Roundtable Luncheon
"Marine Affairs in the Obama Administration"

MAY 19, 2009
"Fisheries and the Bench"
The Fisheries and the Bench Program, funded in part by the National Sea Grant Law Center and by the Sand County Foundation, focused on assisting judges and attorneys to obtain a keener understanding of the principles of fisheries law and the establishment of a better balance between the regulatory and economic interests involved.

APRIL 16, 2009
"The Making of New International Maritime Law - UNCITRAL and the 2009 ROTTERDAM Rules"
A 1924 convention, the "Hague Rules", governing liability for loss and damage to cargo in international trade, is soon to be replaced. UNCITRAL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law) recently completed work on the "Rotterdam Rules".  This program examined the 6-year negotiation process and implications for marine cargo interests and carriers.  Attorneys who served on the U.S. UNCITRAL delegation from government and private practice  provided their insights into the intricate process of creating new international law, reviewed the content and status of the Rotterdam Rules, discussed prospects for ratification, and examined the ramifications for U.S. ocean and intermodal commerce.

Agenda

The Rotterdam Rules 

• General Assembly Resolution, 62/122 dated December 11, 2008
• United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea
• General Assembly Adopts Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea, UNIS/L/125, 12 December 2008
• UNCITRAL Adopted Draft Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea, UNIS/L/121, 7 July 2008
• United Nations Commission on International Trade Law Working Group Adopts New Draft Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea, UNIS/L/117, 28 January 2008
• New Convention to Replace the Hague Rules of 1924 on the International Law of Carriage of Goods by Sea
  Prof. Dr. Alexander Ziegler
  Partner, Schellenberg Wittmer
  Member, Swiss Delegation at UNCITRAL
• Rotterdam Rules Summary
• Minority Report of David T. Maloof concerning ratification of the Rotterdam Rules

OCTOBER 23-24, 2008
"A Viable Marine Renewable Energy Industry: Solutions to Legal, Economic, and Policy Challenges"
Roger Williams University School of Law
Bristol, Rhode Island

This two-day Symposium explored means to achieve a viable marine renewable energy industry for the United States with a focus on offshore wind, hydrokinetics (wave, current and tidal), and ocean thermal energy conversion.  Its panels discussed a range of solutions for the nascent U.S. marine renewable energy sector’s current legal, economic and policy challenges.  These included:

The Symposium’s goal was to quantify means of supporting a marine renewable energy industry, while addressing local, tribal, state, federal and public needs related to the protection, conservation, and management of our marine resources, as well as co-existing with the many uses of the marine environment.

Symposium Blog
Final Agenda
Background Document on Marine Renewables
Attendeee List
Sponsors

Resources on Marine Renewable Energy Projects:

• Alternative Energy and Alternative use (AEAU) Program
• Resources

NOVEMBER 5, 2007
Presentation by Paul C. Ticco, Ph.D.,
Northeast Regional Coordinator - NOAA
Washington, DC
Dr. Ticco gave a presentation entitled "A Balancing Act: Conflicts and Compromises in Marine Conservation"

OCTOBER 26, 2007
Marine Renewable Energy Workshop and
Lecture by Wendy Williams, co-author of Cape Wind, entitled "American Luddites: Why We Should All Care About Cape Wind" 

SEPTEMBER 14, 2007
Institute for Graduate Environmental Leaders Workshop:
"Environmental Justice in the Energy Age: Meeting Energy Demand with Equity"
In conjunction with the Metcalf Institute for
Environmental Reporting, University of Rhode Island

FEBRUARY 7, 2007
"Gasping for Air: Climate Change in the Courts"
On November 29, 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in its first case directly related to global warming, Massachusetts v. EPA. Massachusetts and other petitioners, including Rhode Island, asked the court to set aside an EPA decision not to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.  Section 202(a)(1) of the Clean Air Act, requires the Administrator of the EPA to set emission standards for "any air pollutant" from motor vehicles or motor vehicle engines "which in his judgment cause[s], or contribute[s] to, air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare."  A panel of advocates and observers gathered to review and analyze cases (state and federal) related to climate change; the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; and projections from the bench. 

OCTOBER 19-20, 2006
6th Marine Law Symposium
"The Evolution of Ecosystem Based Management: From Theory to Practice"
This two-day symposium analyzed challenges and successes of ecosystem based management used in balancing use and protection of the marine environment.

JANUARY 13, 2006
"Ecosystem Based Management in New England: An Assessment of Regional Ocean Governance"
A panel of regional and national experts met to discuss the existing ocean and coastal governance structures in New England and their effectiveness in advancing ecosystem management for the region.  The panel served as food for thought for a larger discussion at the 6th Marine Law Symposium.

NOVEMBER 4, 2005
"Takings by the Waterfront:  Analysis of the Kelo and Palazzolo Decisions"
In the summer of 2005, two key decisions were issued that affect land use and property rights: Kelo v. City of New London, an eminent domain case involving waterfront properties in Connecticut, was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of the town; and, Palazzolo v. Rhode Island, a regulatory takings claim involving a proposed coastal development, was decided in Rhode Island in favor of the state. The seminar provided analysis of the two cases.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2005
Institute for Graduate Environmental Leaders Workshop:
"Engaging as Environmental Leaders: The Role of Conflict Resolution"

SEPTEMBER 9-11, 2004
5th Marine Law Symposium
"Following the Commissions: Analysis and Implementation of the Ocean Commission and Pew Commission Reports"