 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
Our ExperiencePractice AreasAs a leader for nearly 30 years in designing and supporting collaborative decision making processes, facilitating policy dialogues, and mediating site-specific disputes, RESOLVE is known for helping parties analyze and work through difficult issues, particularly those involving highly visible and political dynamics, complex scientific and technical information, and cultural differences. RESOLVE’s practice areas include:
Click on a specific practice area, below, for a detailed description, links to RESOLVE’s project list, as well as selected examples of results through consensus for that practice area. Drinking WaterRESOLVE mediators have worked with the EPA since 1992, convening and facilitating three separate federal advisory committees. The parties to these negotiations represented the major interests in the provision of safe drinking water in the United States: the water supply community, public health officials, public interest groups, chemical and equipment suppliers, and local, state and federal regulators. EnergyHow can we utilize existing energy resources more efficiently? How do we transition to a cleaner mix of energy resources to supply our needs? How do costs, local and global environmental impacts, and national security affect our options? RESOLVE recognizes that the very complexity of energy-related challenges creates opportunities for decision-makers to advance public policy. From proactively addressing federal-level policy questions to mediating site-specific controversies, RESOLVE’s results-oriented Energy Team is committed to helping design and support collaborative approaches to address the country’s energy future. Whether the source of energy is traditional or “alternative,” domestic or imported, finite or renewable, RESOLVE’s Energy Team understands that energy-related policy choices have far-reaching scientific, technological, social, environmental, and economic implications at every stage of the energy cycle. We have the experience and knowledge to help clients address issues related to:
Environmental QualityAs the field of conflict resolution continues to grow and mature, RESOLVE is honored to contribute to the increased acceptance of consensus-building processes in public decision making and to its practice. The National Environmental Conflict Resolution Advisory Committee, a bi-partisan and diverse group of leaders established by the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution (USIECR), has endorsed the notion that mediation and other tools should be used more routinely and extensively by government agencies. A policy memo jointly issued by the Office of Management and Budget and the Council on Environmental Quality directs departments and agencies of the Federal government to increase the effective use of environmental conflict resolution and build institutional capacity for collaborative problem solving. RESOLVE has enjoyed the opportunity to work with Federal agencies, stakeholders, and colleagues on these activities and is considering new ways to support the development and expanded use of conflict resolution in the coming years. Health and BiotechnologyWe are all part of a “community of interest” when it comes to health policy issues. A significant portion of RESOLVE’s work concerns some aspect of public health, including the newest developments in the area of biotechnology and agriculture. Land Use, Transportation, and Sustainable CommunitiesOver the past few years RESOLVE has steadily increased our assistance to communities working through growth and transportation challenges. Across the country, RESOLVE staff members have taught public involvement in planning and decision making and helped public agencies coordinate their efforts to plan and implement programs. Our work in this area ties in with and is supported by our Rivers and Watersheds Practice, and in particular the stormwater management component. Natural ResourcesNatural resources are the fundamental threads from which the fabric of life is created. In recent years, we have focused intensively on a cluster of cases that strongly reflect RESOLVE’s commitment to working with local stakeholders who represent different and often contending “communities”. We have worked with stakeholders on natural resource planning and management issues surrounding wildlife, forest management, rivers and their associated hydropower, water, and fisheries concerns, as well as issues specific to coastal and marine resources. Rivers and WatershedsThe health and ecological integrity of rivers and watersheds affects all people and all wildlife, because every human being and animal on earth lives in a watershed. Increasing population and development, along with harmful land use practices, continue to threaten the health and ecological integrity of rivers and watersheds, sparking a broad range of controversies over the management of water resources. Effective decision making in the watershed protection, restoration, and management arenas requires an increasing amount of coordination, constructive problem-solving forums, and collaborative capacity on the part of diverse stakeholders and across jurisdictions. Over the past 30 years, RESOLVE has developed a strong reputation among clients and stakeholders in the water policy area because of our success in bringing parties to agreement while also facilitating shared learning. Our Rivers and Watersheds Practice builds on our deep and diverse collective expertise dealing with water policy issues, as well as our commitment to helping participants build their capacity to more effectively address controversial issues without outside assistance in the future. Our Rivers and Watersheds practice encompasses three main themes:
|
|
