Water: Advocating for Protection - Put your League on the Map! June 27, 2018 in Chicago - Join us!

Join with Leagues from across the country for on June 27, 2018 from 2-8 PM for WATER; ADVOCATING FOR PROTECTION- PUT YOUR LEAGUE ON THE MAP!  This exciting event will be held in the Chicago Loop adjacent to Lake Michigan, the second largest Great Lake by volume and the only Great Lake entirely in the US. 
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Two years ago, LWV Lake Michigan Region and LWV Upper Mississippi River Region joined with other Leagues to host a Water Caucus at the LWV US convention in Washington, DC.  Hundreds of LWV conventioneers attended that Water Caucus.  Building on that momentum, these two Inter League Organizations are hosting the 2018 Water Forum on June 27 in Chicago, the day before the LWV US convention, titled "Water: Advocating for Protection - Put your League on the Map!"   Click here to register!  
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​In this afternoon of potent talks, you will learn what LWV has done in the past, and is doing currently, to leverage LWV’s power and connections to protect water.  This proud history gives us a firm foundation to address today’s problems at all levels of government and has given our country a strong legal foundation of water regulations and agencies that protect water.  Now more than ever, we need to maintain and leverage the momentum of the Clean Water Act at a time of changing regulations and funding.

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We will be meeting at the historic Standard Club which was established in 1869 and is  five star rated club., located at 320 South Plymouth Court, one block from State Street, three blocks from Michigan Avenue. Rooms are available to workshop attendees at the Standard Club - these rooms are discounted for our attendees, and can be used for the duration of the LWV US convention, which is being held at the  the Hilton Chicago just 10 blocks away.  

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This will be a day focused on water protection, what Leagues around the country are doing in their local areas, and the threats posed by the unraveling of the safety net for water users provided in the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.  Come to Chicago for this event - stay for LWV US Convention!



Schedule for the Day
Annual Meetings:
11:30-1:30 - Annual Meetings for LWV Upper Mississippi River Region and LWV Lake Michigan Region, buffet luncheon included.  While this is intended for member Leagues of these two ILO's, others who are interested in the work being done are welcome to attend.

Workshop:
2:00 - Welcome - Krista Grimm, President, LWVLMR
2:10 -  LWV History of Water Protection  - Jeanette Neagu, LWVLMR Board Member
2:20 -  LWV Takes on Today’s Water Issues – Lightning Round
          Introduction Gretchen Sabel, Chair, LWVUMRR
          Speakers from 6 local Leagues from around the country share their success in advocating
             for the common good on water issues 
3:30 -  Break
3:45 - Threats Abound, What Tools Do We Have?
          Introduction  Judy Beck, LWVUMRR & LWVLMR Board Member
          The Internet of Water, Speaker from US Geological Survey (invited)
4:45  - Discussion & Wrap Up

Banquet and Keynote:
5:00 -  Networking for Banquet Attendees
6:00 - Banquet, with Keynote speaker Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center.   Mr. Learner and the ELPC litigates and advocates for the environment, leading progress on regional issues - most recently getting the Ohio EPA to reverse it's position and designate Lake Erie as "impaired". The Ohio EPA’s reversal of its position is the key first step.  The next steps will be enforceable pollution limits and meaningful actions to reduce agricultural runoff of phosphorus and nitrates, principally from fertilizer and manure, into the Maumee River system that flows into Maumee Bay and causes algae blooms in western Lake Erie.  Under Mr. Learner's leadership, ELPC is fighting back and playing to win.  ELPC’s effective strategic litigation and public advocacy are more vital than ever to confront the current Administration’s anti-environmental agenda in the Midwest.

Attendees can register for each segment of the day separately - click here to access the registration page.  We hope that as many people as possible attend both the workshop and banquet - there's even a price break for those who attend both!

Below - Howard Learner and the staff of the Environmental Law and Policy Center  

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