2015 NARF Symposium on Indian Water Rights Settlements

The Western States Water Council and the Native American Rights Fund  held their fourteenth Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims on August 25-27, at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada.  The Symposium began on Tuesday, August 25, at 8:30 a.m. and continued throughout the day, with an evening reception.  Discussions continued through the morning of August 26, followed by a review of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe’s settlement, a field trip to view the settlement features along the Truckee River, and a dinner hosted by the Tribe at Pyramid Lake, 40 miles from Reno.  The Symposium concluded on August 27 at noon, after a morning discussion panel.

Agenda

PowerPoint Presentations:

NEGOTIATION OF INDIAN WATER RIGHTS CLAIMS: THE BASICS
Gathering Background Information and the Role of Technicians in Negotiations

Tom Paul, Deputy Director, Oregon Water Resources Department
Gerald Lunak, Director, Natural Resources Department, Blackfeet Tribe
Doug Oellermann, Deputy Program Manager, Bureau of Reclamation

Identifying Parties and Issues and How Negotiations Bind Larger Groups

Michael Bogert, Attorney, Parsons Behle & Latimer

PRESENTATION

Kiel Weaver, Majority Staff, House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans

THE ADMINISTRATION’S SETTLEMENT POLICY

Belin and Williams Presentation

Letty Belin, Senior Counselor to the Deputy Secretary, Department of the Interior
Pamela Williams, Director, Secretary’s Indian Water Rights Office, Department of the Interior

Response Panel

Kenneth McDarment, Vice-Chairman, Tule River Tribe

DESCRIPTION OF THE PYRAMID LAKE PAIUTE TRIBE’S WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT

Jason King, Nevada State Engineer, Nevada Division of Water Resources
Vinton Hawley, Chairman, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe
Terri Edwards, Lahontan Basin Area Manager, Bureau of Reclamation