Policy Talks 2026

Mississippi is moving to become a major domestic producer of critical minerals, tapping lithium-rich brines in the Smackover Formation to supply an industry the state and federal government see as central to economic growth and energy security. The Center for Practical Ethics will host an invitation-only policy event bringing together experts from government, academia, business, and the nonprofit sector to examine the ethical tradeoffs this development raises. How should the promise of economic growth and energy security be weighed against risks to groundwater, air quality, and the health of nearby communities? Who should have a say in decisions about land use and the pace of extraction? What do Mississippians owe each other when a new industry's costs and benefits aren't likely to land on the same people?

Check back later for more details.