The Texas A&M University School of Law’s Journal of Real Property Law hosted its third annual symposium on Friday Nov. 15. Practitioners and attorneys from across the state attended the Wind Farming: Obstacles to Planning and Development symposium.

Aric Short, Interim Dean of the Law School, Professor Gina Warren, and Cassie Carson, Symposium Editor for the Real Property Journal, welcomed the attendees and presenters. Bob Beckage, Vice President of Pike and UC Synergetic Engineering Group opened the presentations with an overview of some of the issues faced by wind energy developers. A panel moderated by Professor Stephen Alton, and consisting of Professor K.K. DuVivier from the University of Denver, Roderick Wetsel from Wetsel & Carmichael, Steven DeWolf from Bellinger, DeWolf & Suberg, and Dennis Donley from Naman, Howell, Smith & Lee encouraged an open dialogue covering topics ranging from regulation of wind farms to multi-party negotiations of wind energy leases. 

John Pappas, Interim Director of the Texas A&M Energy Institute and Director of the Texas A&M Wind Energy Center, provided the keynote address discussing the challenges and misperceptions associated with off-shore wind farming. A second panel moderated by Professor Huyen Pham, and consisting of Elizabeth Drew from Husch Blackwell, Professor Warren, and Dr. Joshua Linn, Research for the Future Fellow, continued the discussion. The symposium closed with a roundtable conversation which included all of the presenters from the symposium. Symposium attendees, presenters, and organizers celebrated the productive day at the closing cocktail reception.

Contributor to the roundtable discussion and presenter, Texas A&M third-year law student Ryan Brooke, commented: 

"I am very excited and honored to have the opportunity to present my research at the Wind Energy Symposium, especially after seeing the success of last year’s Water Law Symposium. The Journal of Real Property Law does such an amazing job showcasing ripe and important legal issues and attracting top experts in their fields; it is a privilege to be part of the symposium. My presentation will focus on the wind energy industry’s utilization of the Texas Economic Development Act and the subsequent impact on property value across the state and public school financing. I hope to provide an understanding of the many benefits that wind energy provides in Texas, while also encouraging continued exploration of tools, specifically legislation that will attract future wind energy development benefiting both the state and the public school finance system."

The upcoming edition of the Texas A&M University School of Law Journal of Real Property publication will feature an article from each presenter.

Previous symposia and publications of the Journal of Real Property addressed wildfire law and water law. The Journal plans on addressing Earth and Aether, continuing the tradition of addressing various property issues as they relate to the classic elements proposed by Aristotle, in future symposia. 

The Journal extends its gratitude to all those in attendance as well as all of the speakers who spent countless hours preparing for the event. Thank you to the symposium sponsors, Electric Power Engineers and Anesthesia Services, Inc. for your generous support. The Journal also wishes to thank Cassie Carson for her dedication and commitment to the success of the symposium. A special note of appreciation is also extended to Professor Gabriel Eckstein, the faculty advisor for the Real Property Journal, and Professor Gina Warren, the Conference Chair for the symposium.





 
 



 3L Ryan Brooke presents his paper A Missed Opportunity:
 The Texas Economic Development Act, Texas Public School Funding, and Wind Energy

 Texas A&M Law Professor Huyen Pham moderates
 a panel with Elizabeth Drews, Dr. Joshua Linn
 and Texas A&M Law Professor Gina Warren




- article contributed by Nick Edwards, 3L, Journal of Real Property Senior Staff




Dean Aric Short congratulates the Real Property Journal:
 "A big congratulations to the Journal of Real Property for its successful symposium last Friday on "Wind Farming: Obstacles to Planning and Development."... A long list of impressive practitioners
 and scholars attended, presented, and participated (including our own Dean Alton, Dean Pham,
 Prof. Snyder, Prof. Eckstein, and Prof. Warren) this year. Cassie Carson did an exceptional job as the Symposium Editor and deserves special recognition. Prof. Warren was instrumental in pulling together all of the topics and panels and served as Conference Chair. Thanks, also, go to Liz Wiggins (Editor in Chief), Prof. Eckstein (Faculty Sponsor), and Deb Barnett."