The purposes of the Natural Resources and Environmental Law Section are:

1. to promote the development of all aspects of natural resources and environmental law, procedure and practice;
   
   
2. to promote scholarly research in the field of natural resources and environmental law;
   
   
3. to disseminate to the bar and the general public helpful information in the field of natural resources and environmental law;
   
   
4. to initiate and participate in Maine State Bar Association sponsored continuing legal education activities; and to initiate and participate in Association sponsored efforts to publish materials relevant to the Section's activities, including legislative and regulatory amendments, commentary and practice and forms manuals.
   

Annual Report 2002

The officers of the NREL Section for 2002 were Chair Matt Manahan, Vice Chair Ginger Davis, and Secretary/Treasurer Ken Gray. Jim Katsiaficas chaired the CLE Committee.

In accordance with the Section bylaws, Ginger Davis became chair for 2003. At the Section's summer meeting in Bar Harbor, Jim Katsiaficas was nominated to be vice chair. Because only one person was nominated for vice chair, Jim will fill that office for 2003 by consensus of the Section. Pursuant to Section bylaws, Ken Gray will continue for another year as secretary/treasurer.

On November 1, the Section sponsored a full-day seminar in Augusta entitled "Land Use and Environmental Regulation." The seminar was chaired by Helen Edmonds and Cath O'Connor, and speakers were Justice Donald Alexander, Bill Plouffe, John Bannon, Deirdre O'Callaghan, Natalie Burns, Rebecca Warren Seel, Andy Hamilton, Greg Cunningham, Jim Katsiaficas, Cathy Connors, Durward Parkinson, and Jeff Thaler. Thanks to everyone for all their hard work on this successful event!

The Section participated in the annual Legal Year in Review on November 21; Martha Gaythwaite spoke on environmental law.

The Section conducted four brown-bag lunch CLE sessions in 2002. On May 1, Cathy Connors spoke on recent developments in takings law. On May 29, Gregg Wood of the Maine DEP spoke on recent developments in water regulation. On October 23, Maine Chamber general counsel Chris Hall and DEP Commissioner Martha Kirkpatrick presented a legislative developments brown-bag lunch. On December 19, Jim Dusch, head of enforcement for DEP, addressed the DEP's enforcement policies, discussed past and current enforcement activities, and explored initiatives that the DEP is undertaking in an effort to enhance its enforcement efforts. The brown-bag lunch series continues to be a success for the Section.

The Section held its annual meeting for 2002 at the Bangor Civic Center in January, and held its summer meeting at the MSBA's summer meeting in Bar Harbor. The Section plans more brown-bag lunch CLE sessions in 2003.

Matt Manahan,

Chair