Florida’s water future is at a critical crossroads.

Join us October 16-17 at Barry University’s Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law for the Environmental Advocacy Symposium, a two-day conversation on water access, environmental justice, infrastructure, policy, and the communities most affected by our escalating water crisis.

From the impact of AI data centers on water resources to sustainable infrastructure, water reclamation, resource management, and emerging research, this year’s symposium will bring together legal practitioners, policymakers, researchers, advocates, students, elected officials, and community members to ask an essential question:

Who has access to clean, reliable water—and what will it take to protect that access for the future?

Friday October 16, 2026

9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

09:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Registration

Come settle in before the symposium begins!. We will provide coffee and pastries!

10:00 AM - 10:07 AM

Opening Remarks

10:07 AM - 11:15 AM

Panel #1: Water at Every Level: Planning, Funding, and Protecting Florida’s Fu

Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith, Commissioner Nicole Wilson, Congressman Maxwell Frost, Representative Rita Harris

Florida's rain, lakes, and springs can make our water feel endless, but this year's drought told a different story. Water management districts from Tampa Bay to Northeast Florida to South Florida issued shortage orders and warnings, and the United Nations declared that the world has entered an era of "water bankruptcy." Commissioner Nicole Wilson, Congressman Maxwell Frost, Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith, and Representative Rita Harris discuss what it will take to protect Florida's water for decades to come, where responsibility falls at each level of government, and why long-term planning and steady investment matter now.

11:20 AM - 12:20 PM

Panel #2: The Forgotten Resource: The Importance of Water Management

Our Water Conservation panel will explore long-term water management, conservation strategies, and best practices. Speakers will discuss key considerations and the challenges communities face in protecting and managing this essential resource.

12:30 PM - 01:30 PM

Complimentary Lunch

01:45 PM - 02:30 PM

Featured Speaker - Jaclyn Lopez

Jaclyn Lopez, Stetson College of Law

The Public Interest Paradox Environmental laws promise to protect the public interest, but what does that mean when environmental protection competes with other public priorities? Drawing on Florida and federal law, this lecture explores how the public interest is defined, who gets to decide what serves it, and how environmental advocates can use these legal standards to advance environmental protection.

02:30 PM - 03:30 PM

Panel #3: The Expanding Footprint of AI: Data Centers, Water, and Climate

Sten Vermund, USF, Dan Myers, Rollins College, Christina Reichert, Earthjustice Senior Attorney

Our AI Data Center panel will explore the growing impact of AI data centers on water consumption and climate change, as well as their disproportionate effects on low-income, rural, and communities of color. The panel will examine the environmental and community considerations surrounding this rapidly expanding infrastructure.

03:45 PM - 04:45 PM

Keynote Speaker - Ryan Smart

Ryan Smart, Exec. Director of Florida Springs Council

Ryan Smart is the executive director and first employee of the Florida Springs Council (FSC), which has grown to become one of Florida's most effective and respected non-profit advocacy groups for their work in the Capitol, courthouses, and local communities. Smart will be headlining this event to share his expertise in advancing environmentally conscious policy. He will speak on the FSC's recent legal win against the FDEP, which forces the department to enforce Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) projects aimed at decreasing pollution and increasing water monitoring.

04:45 PM - 05:30 PM

Mixer

Saturday October 17, 2026

9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

09:00 AM - 09:30 AM

Registration

Come settle in before the symposium begins! We will provide coffee and pastries!

09:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Recap

A recap of the first day of our symposium and an introduction to the Barry Law Environmental and Earth Law Journal Executive Board.

10:00 AM - 11:15 AM

Panel #1: Common Ground, Uncommon Burdens

Nandini Sharma, Kevin Portillo-Godinez, Kali McElroy, Tzu-Yu Chiou, Brittany Raposa, Moderated by the Barry Law EELJ Executive Board Environmental challenges such as climate change, shifts in legislative policy, environmental injustice, and resource depletion demand innovative and informed solutions. Join a panel of leading environmental law scholars as they examine some of today's most pressing issues through the lens of their academic research. Drawing from a wide range of legal, policy, and interdisciplinary perspectives, panelists will explore emerging trends, analyze regulatory and governance challenges, and discuss practical solutions to these crises. This engaging conversation will offer attendees a unique opportunity to connect scholarly insights with real-world environmental problem-solving.

11:15 AM - 11:30 AM

Break

11:30 AM - 12:45 PM

Panel #2: Beyond the Fence Line – Global Environmental Justice

Jyoti Singh Meena, Robin Happel, Nelson Ologhadien, Bola Olowa, Jessica Gott Bamberg, Moderated by the Barry Law EELJ Executive Board This panel brings together local and international environmental law scholars to examine some of the most pressing environmental justice challenges facing communities around the world. Tapping into perspectives from diverse legal systems and regions, the discussion will explore how environmental harms disproportionately impact vulnerable populations, the role of law in advancing equity and accountability, and emerging strategies for addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and resource exploitation. By connecting local experiences with global movements for justice, the panel will offer valuable insights into the opportunities and obstacles facing environmental advocates, policymakers, and communities seeking a more just and sustainable future.

12:45 PM - 01:00 PM

Closing Remarks & Call to Action

Barry University School of Law – Moot Courtroom

6441 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, FL 32807

Register today at bit.ly/EnvironmentalSymposium26

Come be part of the conversation shaping Florida’s water future!

#WaterJustice #FloridaWater #waterresources #environmentaladvocacy #climatechange