The Public Interest Environmental Law Conference that was scheduled to be held at the University of Oregon this weekend was canceled due to concerns about the coronavirus, organizers said.

The PIELC Conference co-directors issued a statement on March 2, stating that after days of deliberation, they have decided to cancel the conference in its entirety, though there have not been any cases reported in Lane County.

“We do not take this decision lightly,” the statement read. “The rapidly developing situation with COVID-19 in the Pacific Northwest demanded a cautious response to protect the public welfare.” 

The conference was scheduled to take place from March 5 – 8 at UO. The event was expected to bring in more than 1,500 attorneys, students and community members from over 50 countries, including Pakistan, Germany, Ecuador, Croatia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

For those who were planning on attending the conference, the PIELC Conference co-directors stated, “If you are a panelist or travel stipend recipient, we will reach out to you individually shortly. If you registered for CLE credits, we are looking into video recording options to fulfill your CLE requirements or refunds.”

The Indigenous People’s Reception and Alumni Reception hosted by the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Center were canceled independently, according to the statement. The Wayne Morse Center’s panel with Congressman Earl Blumenauer was also canceled, according to an email from the center.

UO President Michael Schill addressed concerns about the coronavirus in an email last week that stated.

“The UO is continuing to take precautions to reduce the risk of the coronavirus and is in the process of stepping up planning and preparation for the potential that COVID-19 could affect our campus,” Schill said in the email. “As a general rule, we will err on the side of caution as it relates to the health and safety of the UO community and are closely monitoring the latest information and guidance from the department of Lane County Public Health, the Oregon Health Authority, CDC, and World Health Organization.”

The PIELC Conference co-directors apologized for the inconvenience but also stated that they look forward to seeing the PIELC community in 2021.