Session details are updated frequently.
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November 4
3:00 – 5:00 pm
Pre-Symposium Session: Natural Resources Development in the Inland Northwest — Opportunities, Challenges, and Perspectives
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Pre-Symposium Session: Natural Resources Development in the Inland Northwest — Opportunities, Challenges, and Perspectives
Session Details:
Join industry leaders from across the Inland Northwest for a candid discussion on the forces shaping natural resource development in the region. From mining and energy to water resources, agriculture, and infrastructure, panelists will share perspectives on balancing economic growth, environmental stewardship, evolving regulations, community expectations, and competing land and resource demands.
Join industry leaders from across the Inland Northwest for a candid discussion on the forces shaping natural resource development in the region. From mining and energy to water resources, agriculture, and infrastructure, panelists will share perspectives on balancing economic growth, environmental stewardship, evolving regulations, community expectations, and competing land and resource demands.
The discussion will explore what industry is experiencing on the ground today—from permitting and project delivery to workforce, infrastructure, and investment considerations—and the trends that may influence the future of natural resource development across Idaho, Montana, Washington, and beyond.
Moderator:
Paul Hausmann, Senior Principal, Environmental Compliance, Landau Associates
Panelists:
Bryant Kuechle, Executive Director, Langdon Group
Dale Kerner, Vice President of Permitting, Integra
Meghan Lunney, License Manager, Avista
5:30 – 7:30 pm
Reception
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Reception
Enjoy a casual evening of networking on Wednesday, November 4. Connect with fellow attendees, speakers, and colleagues at Coeur d’Alene Taphouse – Unchained in Coeur d’Alene over light refreshments and great conversation before the next day of sessions. Whether you’re making new connections or reconnecting with familiar faces, this relaxed gathering offers the perfect opportunity to network in an informal setting.
November 5
7:00 – 8:00 am
Registration, Networking, and Breakfast
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Registration, Networking, and Breakfast
Reconnect with colleagues, meet new industry professionals, and visit with exhibitors before the day’s program begins.
8:00 – 9:30 am
Regional Leadership Roundtable — Natural Resources & Cross-Boundary Challenges
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Regional Leadership Roundtable — Natural Resources & Cross-Boundary Challenges
Session Details:
The Inland Northwest’s most pressing environmental challenges rarely stop at jurisdictional boundaries. Federal and state environmental leaders will discuss the policies, priorities, and emerging issues shaping natural resource management across the region. Topics may include permitting, infrastructure development, water and energy resources, mining, agriculture, tribal partnerships, and the opportunities for greater interstate and cross-boundary collaboration in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.
The Inland Northwest’s most pressing environmental challenges rarely stop at jurisdictional boundaries. Federal and state environmental leaders will discuss the policies, priorities, and emerging issues shaping natural resource management across the region. Topics may include permitting, infrastructure development, water and energy resources, mining, agriculture, tribal partnerships, and the opportunities for greater interstate and cross-boundary collaboration in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.
Moderator:
Wade Foster, Environmental Attorney, Stoel Rives LLP
Panelists:
Dan McCracken, Regional Administrator, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
Brook Beeler, Eastern Region Director, Washington State Department of Ecology
Calvin Terada, Deputy Regional Administrator, Region 10, United States Environmental Protection Agency
9:45 – 10:30 am
Environmental Response Trusts (ERTs) in Practice: A Framework for Complex Cleanup Sites
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Environmental Response Trusts (ERTs) in Practice: A Framework for Complex Cleanup Sites
Session Details:
Environmental Response Trusts (ERTs) can provide a durable framework for managing complex cleanup sites that require long-term coordination among regulators, responsible parties, communities, and other stakeholders. Drawing on decades of experience serving as trustee and managing complex environmental matters, Roberto Puga, president & CEO of PathForward Consulting, will discuss how ERTs are structured, where they can add value, and practical lessons learned from their implementation at sites across the country.
The presentation will highlight the Coeur d’Alene Basin as a current case study, examining the Trust’s role in supporting long-term cleanup, coordination, stewardship, and community priorities at one of the nation’s largest and most complex Superfund sites. The session will also consider how lessons from the Basin may inform the use of trust-based approaches at other challenging cleanup sites.
Panelists:
Roberto Puga, P.G., President & Founder, PathForward Consulting
10:45 – 11:30 am
From Fire to Recovery: Infrastructure Impacts & Lessons from the Old Trails Fire
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From Fire to Recovery: Infrastructure Impacts & Lessons from the Old Trails Fire
Session Details:
This session will examine the response and recovery effort, highlighting how agencies coordinated across jurisdictions, the challenges encountered in real time, and the strategies used to protect infrastructure and the environment. Speakers will share lessons learned from the response and discuss how those experiences can help communities across the Inland Northwest strengthen emergency preparedness, interagency coordination, and infrastructure resilience.
Panelists:
Raylene Gennett, Wastewater Director, City of Spokane
12:15 – 12:45 pm
Kootenay River Watershed: A Cross-Boundary Challenge in Water, Resources, and Restoration
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Kootenay River Watershed: A Cross-Boundary Challenge in Water, Resources, and Restoration
Session Details:
The Kootenay River watershed spans Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia, creating a complex network of environmental, economic, and cultural interests. This presentation will examine current challenges involving water quality, resource development, fisheries, and restoration, while highlighting the role of the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 in guiding cross-border water management.
The Kootenay River watershed spans Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia, creating a complex network of environmental, economic, and cultural interests. This presentation will examine current challenges involving water quality, resource development, fisheries, and restoration, while highlighting the role of the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 in guiding cross-border water management.
Presenter:
Ryen Godwin, Natural Resources Industry Group Leader, Schwabe
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Natural Resources & Regional Growth: Navigating Cross-Boundary Challenges
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Natural Resources & Regional Growth: Navigating Cross-Boundary Challenges
Session Details:
Natural resources do not recognize political boundaries, and neither do the challenges created by rapid regional growth. Using the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer as a case study, this session will explore how utilities, planners, regulators, and regional partners are working across Idaho and Washington to protect a shared resource while planning for future demand.
Moderator:
Ellery Howard, PE, Senior Engineer, Maul Foster & Alongi
Panelists:
Coming soon…
2:00 – 3:00 pm
Critical Issues in Natural Resources: A Lightning Round
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Critical Issues in Natural Resources: A Lightning Round
Session Details:
Wildfire smoke, groundwater aquifers, and environmental impacts do not recognize property lines, jurisdictional boundaries, or political boarders. Yes, communities, industries, tribes, and agencies are increasingly challenged to manage these issues within fragmented regulatory and governance frameworks. This lightning-round session explores two complex cross-boundary issues shaping the future of natural resource management and environmental decision-making. Through recent real-world examples, panelists will examine how wildfire smoke impacted communities far beyond the burn area, how shared groundwater aquifers create competing demands across jurisdictions, and how evolving legal and regulatory frameworks influence cooperation, conflict, and long-term stewardship. Attendees will gain insight into emerging challenges, collaborative approaches, and practical strategies for navigating environmental issues that extend well beyond traditional boundaries.
Panelists:
Necia Maiani, Vice President, Welch Comer
Emily Flores, Air Quality Monitoring Analyst, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
Mike Faupel, Executive Director, Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee
Wade Foster, Environmental Attorney, Stoel Rives LLP
3:00 – 3:30 pm
Closing Session: What’s Next? — A Q&A Wrap-Up
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Closing Session: What’s Next? — A Q&A Wrap-Up
Session Details:
Coming soon…
Moderator:
Coming soon…
Panelists:
Coming soon…