The Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative (HELI) at the University of Iowa College of Law is excited to announce its fall event series centered around environmental and human health. The series brings together scholars, policymakers, attorneys, scientists, farmers, and community leaders to examine issues affecting Iowa and communities across the country - from water quality and soil health, to agricultural policy, nuclear energy, environmental health and more.
Conserving Birds of Prey Field Day with the Iowa Raptor Project at Macbride Nature and Recreation Area
Monday, September 7
- 8:00 - 11:30 a.m.: Field Day at Macbride Nature Recreation Area (MNRA). Join us for a morning at Macbride Nature Recreation Area for bird banding, hawk trapping, and a raptor project tour.
12:00 - 1:30 p.m.: Mix and mingle at Field Day Brewing in North Liberty. Following the field day at MNRA, join us at Field Day Brewing for lunch.
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Note: This event is for Iowa Law students only.
What's Changing with the Endangered Species Act
Friday, September 11 | 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
Join Professor Roesler for an informal student conversation about recent changes to the Endangered Species Act and what they could mean for the future of species and habitat protection. The discussion will explore changes to the definition of “harm,” protections for threatened species, critical habitat, and the broader legal and regulatory questions these changes raise.
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Note: This event is for Iowa Law students only.
ELS Nahant Marsh Meeting
Monday, September 21 | 12:45 - 1:45 p.m.
Join us in welcoming a representative from Nahant Marsh to Boyd Law. Nahant Marsh is a 382-acre preserve in Davenport, Iowa that was once an EPA superfund site. Learn more about the importance of protecting wetlands for conservation and see what a difference advocating can make! Open to 1L, 2L, and 3L students.
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Note: This event is for Iowa Law students only.
The Farm Bill as Natural Resource Law: How America's Largest Agricultural Law Shapes Land, Water, and Climate
Monday, September 28 | 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
The Farm Bill is often viewed as agricultural legislation, but it is also one of the nation's most consequential natural resource laws. Through conservation programs, crop insurance, commodity supports, research investments, and incentives for climate-smart practices, the Farm Bill influences how millions of acres of land are managed and, in turn, affects water quality, soil health, wildlife habitat, and climate resilience.
This interdisciplinary panel will explore how federal farm policy translates into decisions on Iowa farms and landscapes. Bringing together perspectives from agricultural law, farming, conservation, and health, panelists will discuss how Farm Bill programs shape farmer decision-making, the opportunities and barriers to adopting conservation practices, and the role federal policy can play in addressing Iowa’s environmental and natural resource challenges. The conversation is particularly timely as the current Farm Bill extension approaches its September 30 expiration and Congress continues to debate the next generation of federal farm and conservation policy.
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The Return of Nuclear: Duane Arnold, Energy Security, and Iowa's Energy Future
Tuesday, October 27 | 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
As interest in nuclear energy grows across the United States, Iowa has become part of the national conversation with the proposed restart of the Duane Arnold Energy Center near Cedar Rapids. This timely discussion brings together leaders from the community, industry, and environmental advocacy groups, to think through the issues raised by the proposed Duane Arnold restart. The panel will explore the opportunities, challenges, and tradeoffs associated with the restart and nuclear energy more broadly and how the community and other stakeholders can engage in the Duane Arnold regulatory process.
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Homecoming Reunion CLEs with ISBA
Join the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative and the Iowa State Bar Association for two CLE programs exploring how environmental issues intersect with everyday legal practice and professional responsibility. Offered as part of Iowa Law’s Homecoming Reunion programming, the sessions are open to attorneys, alumni, students, and members of the University of Iowa community.
Hidden in Plain Sight: Environmental Law Across Iowa Practice
Friday, October 30 | 12:45 - 1:45 p.m
Environmental law isn't just for environmental lawyers. Join the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative for a CLE exploring how environmental issues arise across a wide range of legal practice areas in Iowa. Through practical examples and real-world scenarios, panelists will discuss environmental due diligence in business and agricultural transactions, farm succession and estate planning, land use and local government decisions, and litigation involving contamination, nuisance claims, and regulatory enforcement. Whether you practice real estate, agricultural, business, estate planning, or litigation, this program will highlight the environmental considerations that every Iowa attorney should recognize.
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Communities as Clients: Challenges in Environmental Justice
Friday, October 30 | 1:45 - 2:45 p.m.
Environmental justice presents unique legal and ethical challenges that extend beyond traditional environmental law. Join the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative for a CLE exploring the role of attorneys representing communities affected by environmental harms. Using real-world examples from Iowa, this program will examine environmental justice principles, community lawyering, and the ethical issues that arise in representing individuals, organizations, and coalitions. Topics include identifying the client, conflicts of interest, limited-scope representation, competence, confidentiality, communication, cultural competence, and advocacy in environmental justice practice.
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Healthy Iowa: Connecting Environmental Quality and Human Health (INSIGHT)
End of October/Early November | Time TBA
Environmental exposures can shape human health in ways that scientists are only beginning to fully understand. This program, presented in partnership with the new INSIGHT initiative at IIHR–Hydroscience & Engineering and the Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination, will explore how researchers are studying the connections between environmental conditions and human health. Supported by the Krause Foundation, INSIGHT brings together scientists, public health experts, and communities to better understand how environmental exposures—including drinking water contaminants—may influence health outcomes and to inform future research, policy, and public decision-making.
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More information coming soon!
Environmental Legislative Preview for the 2027 Iowa Legislative Session
November 2 | 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
What environmental and natural resource issues could be on the agenda when the Iowa Legislature returns in January? Join the Environmental Law Society and the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative for a preview of the 2027 Iowa legislative session with Kerri Johannsen, Senior Director of Policy and Programs at the Iowa Environmental Council, and Threase Harms, President and CEO of Advocacy Strategies. Drawing on their extensive experience with Iowa policy and the legislative process, Johannsen and Harms will discuss emerging issues to watch.
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Note: This event is only open to the University of Iowa community.
Environmental Law CLE with ISBA
November 13 | 8:00 -5:00 p.m.
Join the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative, in partnership with the Iowa State Bar Association, for a CLE series that brings together Iowa attorneys, alumni, students, and the broader legal community to explore how environmental issues intersect with legal practice, professional responsibility, and the communities lawyers serve.
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