Mediation
Examples of Work
Advisory Committee on Agricultural
Biotechnology
U.S. Department of Agriculture
This federal advisory committee was charged by the
Secretary of Agriculture to provide advice to the
Department on their role concerning genetically
modified crops. The Advisory Committee on
Agricultural Biotechnology (ACAB), established for
two years, included approximately fifty stakeholders
with very diverse perspectives. It addressed a wide
range of issues, including regulation, research,
intellectual property, environmental impacts,
marketing, trade, labeling, and other related
topics. Atlantic Large Whale and Harbor Porpoise Take
Reduction Team
National Marine Fisheries Service
Formed along with several other take reduction teams
under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Large
Whale and Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Team (LWTRT)
was tasked with developing a consensus-based Take
Reduction Plan (TRP) to propose recommendations for
reducing the number of serious injuries and
mortalities to large whales caused by entanglement
in fishing gear, specifically along the Atlantic
coast. Project involved six months of negotiations
between fishermen, whale biologists,
conservationists, and state and federal officials,
at which point the status of the discussions was
submitted to NMFS and used in their development of a
proposed TRP.
Falls Hill and Poplar Heights Stormwater
Collaborative Process
Fairfax County, Virginia
RESOLVE convened and mediated a community conflict
in northern Virginia centered on neighborhood storm
water and flooding issues. Participants included
county officials, technical experts, and property
owners, who reached agreement on recommendations for
stormwater management measures to implement in the
affected sub-watershed. RESOLVE initiated the
process by organizing two community
information-sharing meetings, followed by the
formation of a collaborative decision-making
committee, as well as a supporting steering
committee and technical advisory group. Each group
was comprised of representatives from key
stakeholder groups, including citizens. M/DBP Stakeholder Information and Technical
Meetings and Regulatory Negotiation
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Convened, planned for and mediated a series of
meetings and regulatory negotiations to develop EPA
rules associated with the public health risk of
water disinfection by-products and pathogens in
drinking water.
National Drinking Water Advisory Council
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Mediation and facilitation of a NDWAC Working Group
charged with developing consensus recommendations
for two protocols for: 1) determining which drinking
water contaminants on the designated contaminant
candidate list should be regulated, and 2) a 6-year
review process to evaluate existing national primary
drinking water regulations for possible revision.
Working group members represented the drinking water
utilities, public health officials, academia,
environmental and public interest groups, U.S. EPA
and other federal agencies, and other interested
parties. Consensus recommendations forwarded to the
full NDWAC for approval and transmittal to the U.S.
EPA.
RESOLVE also mediated the NDWAC Small Systems
Affordability Work Group’s development of
recommendations for national level affordability
criteria, alternative approaches, and the role of
alternative strategies to enable small drinking
water systems to achieve compliance.
Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology (PIFB)
Stakeholder Forum
Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology
Facilitation of a group of 20 individuals,
representing environmental groups, industry,
academia, farmers, and consumers, in their attempt
to develop consensus recommendations that will
enhance the ability of U.S. policies, programs, and
regulations governing agricultural biotechnology
products to ensure protection of human health and
the environment. RESOLVE is working closely with
PIFB staff to assist the Stakeholder Forum members
in their efforts to better understand the current
system in order to develop recommendations.
Presidential Advisory Commission: Policy
Dialogue on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from
Personal Motor Vehicles
White House Council of Economic Advisors, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of
Energy, and U.S. Department of Transportation
Convened and mediated a 33-member
Presidentially-appointed commission to recommend
options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from
personal motor vehicles (automobiles and light
trucks) to meet the goals of the U.S. Climate Change
Action Plan. Prince William Sound Oil Spill
Contingency Plan Appeals Mediation
State of Alaska
Convened and mediated negotiations involving the
State of Alaska, plan holders shipping oil from the
Valdez terminal, local government and fisherman, in
an attempt to resolve issues on appeal concerning
the states approval of oil spill contingency plans
for Prince William Sound. Proposed Titanium Mine Mediation
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Mediation of a controversial mining dispute in the
Southeastern U.S. focused on the DuPont
Corporation’s proposal to mine for titanium adjacent
to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. A core
group of 30 representative stakeholders participated
in an 18-month collaborative dialogue to understand
potential impacts of the proposed mine and explore
both mining and non-mining alternatives. An expanded
list of 400 interested parties had periodic
opportunities for strategic input. RESOLVE
co-managed the project and facilitated the core
group’s work in establishing an interdisciplinary
technical advisory group that could provide
scientific input on a list of over 100 issues. The
core group reached substantial consensus, and formed
two subgroups to raise funds to implement the
agreement.
Titanium Mine Mediation
DuPont
The controversy focused on the DuPont Corporation's
proposal to mine for titanium in Folkston, Georgia,
adjacent to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
RESOLVE mediated a process involving a core group of
30 representative stakeholders who participated in
an 18-month collaborative dialogue to understand
potential impacts of the proposed mine and explore
both mining and non mining alternatives. An expanded
list of 400 interested parties had periodic
opportunities for strategic input. The core group
reached substantial consensus. Truckee Carson Settlement Negotiations
At invitation of U.S. Senator Harry M. Reid
Mediation of negotiations concerning allocation of
water in the Truckee and Carson River basins.
Interests in the Newlands Project in western Nevada
(the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s oldest water
project) include: agricultural and municipal water
needs, Native American water rights, and water for
endangered species, wetlands, and migratory water
fowl. |
