The American Bar Association Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice’s Environmental Justice Committee and Native American Concerns Committee invite you to a webinar addressing the Native American Water Rights under the law and how these rights are impacted by current policy. The panel includes a distinguished group of experts working on the intersections of issues of environmental justice, water quality, social policymaking, and Native American sovereign rights. Water is crucial for sustaining the Native American way of life. As the impact of Climate Change is accelerating, the Native American population is increasingly vulnerable.
Their wellbeing, that is historically ignored, is dependent on federal policy that we see daily eliminating water protection regulations. On the other hand, the Indian trust doctrine puts the Tribes in a vital role as advocates for water rights because the federal government has a fiduciary responsibility to protect these people’s way of life and their lands. Even though, Native Americans are at great risk, they are not without recourse. Our panel of experts will discuss the crossroads that the Tribes find themselves in at this time of challenge to their way of life in the age of Climate Change. The group will also discuss the growing movement for environmental justice in favor of Native American sovereign rights within this marginalized community.