PANEL 2 – Presented by the Aoki Center "Restoring the Balance in Indian Country" Settler colonialism has decimated tribal natural resources like land, water, and fish, and ravaged the culture, religion, and livelihoods of Native people. This panel will examine recent efforts to mitigate the impacts of such environmental destruction and discuss the obstacles to these efforts that continue to exist. Speakers will explore how the particular indigenous experience requires a broader conception of environmental justice by lawyers and judges, and a deeper understanding of the present day impacts of colonialism. Specific projects like dam removal in the Klamath Basin, acquisition of ancestral land, and enhanced governmental recognition of tribal sovereignty will be considered. Michael Belchik, Senior Water Policy Analyst, Yurok Tribe Thomas Gibson, Under Secretary, the California Natural Resources Agency Brittani Orana, Environmental Justice and Tribal Affairs Specialist, California Department of Toxic Substances Control Christina Snider, Tribal Affairs Advisor to Governor Jerry Brown; Executive Secretary, Native American Heritage Commission Kaitlin Reed, Former Environmental Technician, Yurok Tribe Moderator: Beth Rose Middleton, Associate Professor, Native American Studies, UC Davis The lunchtime podcast mentioned at the end is at http://www.agroots.org/mechanical_tomato_harvester 2018 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW SYMPOSIUM | March 9, 2018 | UC Davis School of Law "Humans & Their Environment: Protecting Our Planet and Its Inhabitants" The 2018 UC Davis Environmental Law Symposium will explore the growing intersection between humans and the world around them, and how the lines between the anthropocene and natural world become increasingly blurred. This event will examine the inherent challenges in ensuring equitable access to environmental resources and the undue burdens many communities face. In bringing together legal and policy authorities from the government, nonprofit, academia, community, and private sectors, the event will discuss the evolution and current state of environmental justice law and policy in California, along with solutions for the future. The day-long event will feature panels addressing: the disproportionate public health effects of climate change; the tragic impact of the 2017 wildfires on Northern California communities; the dichotomy between industry and community interests in the Central Valley; and the efforts dedicated to tribal sovereignty and Native American land restoration. Within this range of topics, panelists will discuss regulatory responses and enforcement actions, private litigation, academic and scientific discourse, and the activist movements that have shaped today’s environmental equality landscape.