Fort Lewis College plans to host a community energy symposium next year that will investigate how energy and mining can be adjusted to reflect models rooted in sovereignty, sustainability and shared responsibility.
The symposium, which will take place in spring 2027, will “convene Indigenous leaders and energy and environmental professionals to examine environmental justice, resource sovereignty, and community-engaged approaches to development,” according to a news release from the college.
The release described the complex relationship between Tribal Nations and energy and mining projects “at times resulting in environmental and health harms, and in other instances supporting Tribal economic development and self-determination.”
“As global demand for critical minerals grows, Indigenous communities are navigating these decisions as sovereign governments with distinct histories, priorities and values,” the release read.
The symposium is being funded through a grant by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation as part of a three-year project that is meant to “support research on community responses to the growing demand for critical minerals tied to the global energy transition,” according to the release.
The project is co-led by FLC faculty Michelle Larkins, Kathy Hilimire and Carma Claw.
Hilimire, who is the chair and associate professor of environment and sustainability, said project research focuses on energy transitions and environmental responsibility.
“The multidisciplinary team is studying topics ranging from critical mineral recovery, acid mine drainage and waste rock to community engagement with critical mineral projects, and innovative ways of teaching about complex and controversial topics,” she said in the release.
Larkins, an assistant professor of Environment and Sustainability, said in the release that the symposium is meant to act as the first of many conversations on the importance of intentional energy transitions in the Four Corners.
“For our campus, this also reflects how we are connecting our research, curriculum, and engagement to the Reconciliation efforts of our 2030 Strategic Plan,” she said. “We are excited to learn from Indigenous leaders and bring together our campus and wider community to think critically about centering justice and sustainability in energy transitions.”
Claw, who is an assistant professor of management at the Katz School of Business at FLC and a citizen of the Diné (Navajo) Nation, described her personal connection to the symposium and the grant project in the release.
“For my tribal nation, uranium has long historical implications tied to extractive business practices and ongoing health and environmental impacts,” she said. “As Tribal Nations continue asserting and exercising sovereignty, the question becomes how to engage in energy and mineral development in ways that reflect their own lived experiences, values, and definitions of what is acceptable. That looks different for every Nation.”
Claw said Tribal Nations can provide a unique perspective on justice and fairness, especially when navigating Western models of capitalism and ownership.
“This conference creates an opportunity for Indigenous communities to lead those discussions rather than simply respond to them,” she said.
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