Two Sturm College of Law Students Involved in Ground-Breaking Mining Law Project Sponsored by the International Bar Association

Kristi Disney, a current Environmental and Natural Resources Law LLM student at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and recent LLM graduate Jeffrey Cullers have been working on a ground-breaking mining law project – the Model Mining Development Agreement (MMDA).

The MMDA, an undertaking of the International Bar Association (IBA), is a model contract intended as a starting point for negotiations between host governments and mining companies where no mature mining law exists. The project seeks to advance sustainable development of mineral resources by balancing the interests of local communities, governments, and companies.

A key innovation of the MMDA is an online public forum where any interested person can view and comment on the current MMDA draft. Please visit the project at www.mmdaproject.org and view the latest draft, released earlier this month. Currently, the MMDA is in the midst of a public comment period until mid-December 2010. After comments are closed, the MMDA creators will incorporate the feedback into the final MMDA draft, to be completed in January 2011. The MMDA is a project of the International Bar Association.

Jeffrey and Kristi worked on this project through the Sustainable Development Strategies Group, a non-profit organization located in Gunnison, CO, which promotes the preservation and responsible use of natural resources.

Jeffrey Cullers graduated from the LLM program in May 2010. Kristi Disney will graduate in May 2011 and is currently a Law Fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for International Environmental Law.