The Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative (HELI) at the University of Iowa College of Law is pleased to announce a dynamic lineup of events for the spring 2026 semester, continuing its mission to foster interdisciplinary engagement on pressing environmental law and policy issues.
HELI’s spring 2026 events highlight environmental law as a field defined by practice. Across topics ranging from infrastructure development and climate regulation to human rights, activism, and environmental communication, the spring series emphasizes how environmental law operates in real-world contexts shaped by science, industry, government, and community decision-making. While many programs are grounded in Iowa- and Midwest-specific issues, each explores broader national and global implications, underscoring HELI’s commitment to interdisciplinary dialogue and the practical challenges of addressing environmental problems through law.
We hope you can join us at one of our events this spring semester!
Data Centers in Iowa: Identifying Knowledge Gaps, Data Needs, and Research Priorities — Stakeholder Session (Invite Only)
Friday, February 6, 2026 | 10:00–12:00 p.m.
HELI will convene a working group of stakeholders to identify research priorities and knowledge gaps related to data center siting, energy and water demand, community considerations, and land-use impacts across Iowa.
From Statutes to Soil: How Environmental Law and Geoscience Interact in Practice
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 | 12:30–1:30 p.m.
What happens when environmental lawyers and geoscientists team up to tackle contaminated sites? Join Iowa Law alum Michael Dunning (Partner at Perkins Coie) and David Cook (Principal Geologist at the State of Washington Water Research Center) for a candid conversation on real-world collaboration at the intersection of law, science, and redevelopment - from hazardous waste cleanup to major urban projects. This joint HELI-SEES session will explore why interdisciplinary fluency isn’t just useful in environmental work - it’s essential. This event will be approved for CLEs in Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
MOre information and registratiON
Data Centers in Iowa: Perspectives from Community, Government, and Research
Monday, March 9, 2026 | 12:30–2:00 p.m.
As demand for digital infrastructure continues to grow, data centers have become an increasingly significant area of interest for communities, policymakers, and stakeholders across Iowa, the Midwest, and the country. This panel brings together experts in local government planning, environmental law and advocacy, and water policy to explore how data center development intersects with zoning and permitting, legal and regulatory frameworks, community engagement, and natural resource management. This event will be approved for CLEs in Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
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The Current State of Climate Regulation: Revisiting the Endangerment Finding
Wednesday, April 1, 2026 | 12:45–2:00 p.m.
The EPA’s proposal to reconsider its long-standing Endangerment Finding raises major questions about the future of climate and public health protections in the United States. Panelists will begin by explaining what the Endangerment Finding is, why it matters, and how administrative law shapes EPA’s authority to revisit it. The discussion will then turn to the scientific response to EPA’s proposal, including how a coalition of more than 100 climate and health experts came together to submit a public comment grounded in current science. The panel will close with a look ahead to what this moment could mean for climate regulation, agency decision-making, and legal challenges in the years to come. This event will be approved for CLEs in Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
More Information and Registration
Why Do We Defend the Defenders? Exploring Sovereignty, Legitimacy, Human Rights, and Activism in Land and Environmental Protection
Friday, April 10, 2026 | 12:30–2:00 p.m.
“Defend the Defenders” is a global rallying cry to stop violence and repression against environmental activists around the world. This panel brings to Iowa a trio of environmental lawyers with decades of experience supporting community-based struggles for land rights and environmental justice, in the US and internationally. They will explore how environment and land defenders raise questions of culture, history, community, and self-determination that are deeper than and not fully determined by legislative and scientific frameworks. This often puts defenders work in contexts that the law struggles to comprehend. Understanding the complex role played by defenders is critical to ensuring that the law serves as a neutral source of protection and conflict resolution, rather than yet another threat of harm. This event will be approved for CLEs in Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
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In Conversation with Pulitzer Prize–Winning Journalist Elizabeth Kolbert
Saturday, April 11, 2026 | 6:00 p.m.
Pulitzer Prize–winning science writer Elizabeth Kolbert will join HELI for a conversation on climate change, biodiversity loss, and the role of journalism in shaping public understanding of environmental issues. Her latest book, Life on a Little Known Planet, was named a Best Book of the Year by The New Yorker. It brings together essays that explore how human activity is reshaping the natural world. Drawing on decades of reporting, Kolbert offers clear-eyed insight into the environmental challenges of our time and why the stories we tell about them matter.
The Private Sector and the Planet: Environmental Governance Across Industries Speaker Series
This year long speaker series explores the critical role of private environmental governance in addressing 21st-century challenges. Hosted by HELI in collaboration with Vanderbilt Law School’s Private Climate Governance Lab and the Tippie College of Business’ Social Impact Community, the series features corporate leaders and change makers who are driving environmental efforts across diverse industries, including agriculture, energy, healthcare, and transportation.Two additional speakers will be announced later in the semester, further examining the role of private actors, markets, and institutions in addressing environmental challenges.
More information and registration
About HELI Events
HELI events bring together students, legal scholars, practitioners, policymakers, scientists, and community members to explore the intersections of law, science, policy, and society. Since 2022, HELI has hosted nearly 60 events, ranging from in-person lectures and panel discussions to hybrid symposia, book talks, and continuing legal education seminars. This vibrant legacy reflects HELI’s ongoing commitment to environmental law leadership, education, and public engagement. Most events are open to the public and held at the Boyd Law Building, with additional details and registration information available on the HELI website.