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Alaskan
Way Viaduct (Summer
2007 - Spring 2009)
CONCUR
was selected by the
Washington State Department
of Transportation,
Seattle Department
of Transportation
and King County to
design a process that
will enable the three
parties and affected
stakeholders to resolve
a longstanding dispute
over the replacement
of the at-risk Alaskan
Way Viaduct, a 60-year-old
stacked highway that
separates downtown
Seattle from the waterfront.
CONCUR's role focuses
on collaborative process
design, strategic
planning advice and
stakeholder involvement.
The project, started
in summer 2007, is
slated to end in early
2009.
Collaborative
Fisheries
Research
Workshop
(Spring
2008)
In
May 2008 CONCUR completed
an assignment for
the California Ocean
Protection Council
when we helped designed
and facilitate a two
day statewide workshop
on Collaborative Fisheries
Research (CFR). Our
team conducted pre-workshop
interviews to help
create the workshop
agenda, and used our
working knowledge
of ocean and coastal
policy, including
the status of California
ocean fisheries, to
refine approaches
to be used during
the workshop. This
workshop was attended
by fisheries managers,
fishermen, scientists,
community groups and
policy makers from
throughout California
and the nation. The
focus was twofold:
1. To hear about lessons
learned from existing
CFR projects; and
2. To solicit feedback
on how to establish
a new statewide CFR
program that may then
be extended to include
other west coast states.
CONCUR helped organize
and facilitate panel
discussions, breakout
sessions and the plenary,
and provided a comprehensive
summary memo that
highlighted what was
discussed, including
a framework and major
institutional elements
of a statewide CFR
program.
Harbor
Porpoise and Atlantic
Large Whale Take Reduction
Teams (Fall 2007-Spring
2008)
CONCUR
is facilitating two
different East Coast
stakeholder groups
focused on reducing
incidental bycatch
of Harbor Porpoise
and Atlantic Large
Whale. CONCUR's work
focuses on (1) conducting
initial stakeholder
assessments, (2) convening
both in-person and
teleconference meetings
among fishermen, conservationists,
academics, researchers
and various government
agencies, and (3)
summarizing emerging
agreement. CONCUR's
work with the National
Marine Fisheries Service
on this effort strives
to identify consensus-supported
approaches that can
reduce bycatch to
sustainable levels.
UN
CEO Water Mandate
Initiative
In
March 2008, CONCUR
Senior
Associate Bennett
Brooks facilitated
the inaugural meeting
of the CEO Water Mandate,
a United Nations-sponsored
initiative that brings
together business
leaders and the broader
international community
with a focus on improving
strategies and efforts
to address the emerging
global water crisis.
The initiative focuses
on six main topic
areas: direct operations;
supply chain and watershed
management; collective
action; public policy;
community engagement;
and transparency.
The two-day meeting,
held at UN headquarters
in New York City,
brought together several
dozen business leaders,
UN agency representatives,
environmental organizations
and others to refine
the focus and strategy
for guiding the Mandate's
future endeavors.
The meeting resulted
in a consensus-supported
approach to the Mandate's
near-term priorities,
as well as unanimous
endorsement of the
initiative's governance
and funding structure.
CONCUR's role focused
on strategic planning
and meeting facilitation.
In that capacity,
CONCUR teamed closely
with both the UN Global
Compact Office and
the Pacific Institute.
Oil
& Gas Platform Decommissioning
(Spring 2008)
In
early 2008, CONCUR
successfully completed
a project for the
California Resources
Agency to create a
Request for Proposal
(RFP) to study the
major technical issues
associated with a
range of decommissioning
alternatives for the
state's 27 offshore
oil and gas platforms.
Working closely with
the office of the
Assistant Secretary
for Ocean and Coastal
Policy and his staff,
the CONCUR team first
reviewed existing
and ongoing research
related to mineral
resource development
in the offshore areas
of the Southern California
Bight (i.e., fisheries,
water quality, oceanography,
socioeconomic issues,
etc.) as well as pertinent
federal and state
coastal management
policy and legislation.
CONCUR also conducted
confidential interviews
with a cross-section
of key stakeholders
and scientists to
help prepare for the
workshop. CONCUR used
the results of this
background research
and interviews, in
turn, to organize
and facilitate two
workshops: one for
ocean and coastal
policy stakeholders;
and a second for expert
scientists, including
the members of the
Inter-Agency Decommissioning
Working Group.
CONCUR
prepared a Workshop
Summary for the facilitated
workshops that highlighted
the key information
needs raised by stakeholders
and scientists. CONCUR
used this information
to develop a Scope
of Work for a study
to be commissioned
by the Resources Agency.
The study will compile
all available information
needed to inform future
policy discussions
about the strengths
and drawbacks a range
of decommissioning
alternatives. The
economic, environmental
and financial stakes
of this decision making
process are significant.
Estimates of the cost
to fully remove these
platforms range from
$1-2 billion. The
final work product
delivered by CONCUR
was a comprehensive
RFP to guide the selection
of a consultant to
address the identified
information needs.
The aim of the study,
in turn, is to support
well reasoned deliberation
on policy alternatives.
Abalone
Advisory Group (Fall 2007-Spring 2008)
CONCUR
is working with California Department of Fish
and Game (DFG) staff to support the work of
the San Miguel Island Abalone Fishery Advisory
Group (AAG). The AAG is a stakeholder group
representing the interests of commercial fishing,
recreational diving, marine conservation, and
fisheries science. Its mission is to recommend
a limited range of fully developed alternatives
for managing a potential red abalone fishery
at San Miguel Island. DFG will use these management
alternatives in recommendations to the California
Fish and Game Commission when a red abalone
fishery at San Miguel Island is considered.
In particular, the AAG's charge is to provide
recommendations to the Department of Fish and
Game regarding: 1) a "total allowable catch"
for San Miguel Island red abalone, 2) alternatives
for allocation between recreational and commercial
take, 3) alternative regulations to achieve
the total allowable catch and allocation, and
4) potential management, enforcement, and monitoring
techniques.
In
addition to facilitating the AAG process, CONCUR
is also working with DFG to convene and facilitate
a "technical panel", consisting of
experts in the area of fisheries management
and population modeling, to spearhead the development
of a total allowable catch. CONCUR will also
help DFG to recruit a separate "review
committee" to provide peer review of the
work of the technical panel.
The
AAG hopes to present its recommendations to
DFG in the summer of 2008.
Santa
Clara County Local Governments Adopt Stream Protection
Measures (July 1, 2007)
We
are pleased to report that as of July 1, 2007,
new regulatory guidelines for protecting up to
4500 miles of streams throughout California's
Silicon Valley were adopted by members of the
Water Resources Protection
Collaborative. The guidelines include establishment
of buffer areas to protect streams and streamside
resources such as water quality, in-stream wildlife,
riparian vegetation, stream banks and stream channels.
By adopting the stream protection guidelines,
local cities and the County of Santa Clara assumed
enhanced permitting authority, transferring primary
responsibility for streamside land use permitting
from the Santa Clara Valley Water District to
local governments.
From December 2002 to November 2006 CONCUR worked
with a broad cross-section of interests in California's
Santa Clara County (“Silicon Valley”)
to develop and ratify a series of landmark agreements
for protecting water resources, and particularly
stream resources, in this large and complex County.
Major participants in the Collaborative included
representatives from the County of Santa Clara,
all 15 cities in the County, the San Francisco
Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, the
Guadalupe-Coyote Resource Conservation District,
the Santa Clara County Farm Bureau, and representatives
of property owners, environmental, community,
business and agricultural interests.
The Collaborative faced two key challenges.
One was to integrate the multiple, sometimes
conflicting, approaches to land use planning
and permitting in the 16 sovereign local land
use agencies and the water district. A second
was to address the diversity of streams and
streamside resources in the different jurisdictions.
Local adoption of the stream protection guidelines
resolves both of these issues, based on the
joint fact-finding and negotiated agreements
undertaken during the Collaborative process.
Congratulations to all Collaborative members
for a job well done!
CONCUR
Chosen to Facilitate the MLPA North Central Coast Regional Stakeholder
Group (May, 2007)
CONCUR
has been chosen to facilitate the next phase of the Marine Life
Protection Act Initiative. On May 22-23, 2007, CONCUR facilitated
the kick-off meeting of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA)
Initiative's North Central Coast Regional Stakeholder Group
(NCCRSG). The NCCRSG is scheduled to meet through mid-2008 and
will have primary responsibility to develop alternate proposals
for marine protected areas (MPAs) along California's north central
coast.
In completing their work, the NCCRSG will work closely with
two other bodies-a Blue Ribbon Task Force of senior policy advisors,
and a Science Advisory Team-to inform the decisions of the California
Fish and Game Commission. The project's focus is a 146-mile
region of California coastal waters ranging from Pigeon Point
in San Mateo County to Alder Creek in Mendocino County. Participants
in the process include commercial and recreational fishers,
harbormasters, recreational divers, conservation groups, scientists,
researchers, educators, and representatives of federal, state,
and local agencies. This project is the latest phase in ongoing
efforts to implement California's Marine Life Protection Act.
CONCUR also facilitated the work of the Central
Coast Regional Stakeholder Group in 2005-2006.
At their May 22-23, 2007 meeting in San Rafael, 21 primary and
9 alternate NCCRSG members received an orientation to the project
and an overview of the ecological, oceanographic, and socioeconomic
features of the north central coast. NCCRSG members unanimously
adopted ground rules to guide their work together and met in
breakout groups to share information about their expertise,
hopes, and concerns about the project. Future meetings will
occur every 6-8 weeks.
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Fish
and Game Commission Takes "Landmark" Action on 29 Central
Coast Marine Protected Areas (April, 2007)
On
April 13, 2007, the California Fish and Game Commission
unanimously adopted a packaged of 29 marine protected
areas. The aim of the program is to build a statewide
network to protect biological diversity and rebuild depleted
fish stocks, and create educational and research opportunities.
The Central Coast Region is the first to be addressed.
The
MPAs cover about 200 square miles (about 18%) of an 1150
square mile region off Central California ranging from
Pont Conception in south to Pillar Point in the north.
Of those, 13 are Marine Reserves where no extractive use
is allowed; others are less restrictive MPAs where some
types of commercial or recreational fishing is allowed,
while. The total area in MPAs comprises about 18% of the
study area, which begins at the shoreline, and extends
to the 3-mile limit of state waters.
Commission
action marks the culmination of an extensive two-year
public process in which stakeholders developed three alternate
draft proposals, they were reviewed by a Science Advisory
Team, and then by a senior level Blue Ribbon Task Force,
who recommended a preferred alternative. CONCUR Principal
Scott McCreary and Associate Eric Poncelet played a key
role in facilitating the Regional Stakeholder Group which
developed the initial proposals or "packages."
The final adopted recommendation is a hybrid of those
developed by the stakeholder group, with some minor modifications
introduced by the BRTF and the Commission. The CONCUR
team also provided strategic planning advice to the Marine
Life Protection Act Initiative.
As
the MPLA Initiative is far more extensive than similar
programs in other states, the Commission action has received
media coverage:
New
York Times - "California Adopts First Phase of
Ocean Preserves", 04/15/07 (NYT account needed to
view)
San
Jose Mercury News - "Marine Protected Areas Shown
on Map", 04/14/07
San
Jose Mercury News - "California marine conservation
efforts coming together", 04/23/07
San
Francisco Chronicle - "State wildlife
officials to create marine preserves", 04/13/07
"With
our action today, California has embarked upon something
historic and extraordinary," said Richard Rogers, president
of the Commission. "With this vote, we have taken the
first step to return our ocean waters to the place they
used to be; an ocean full of sustainable abundance."
A
6-page document containing links and summaries of more
media coverage can be dowloaded here: Central_Coast_MPAs_MEDIA.doc
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Design
and Facilitation of a Stakeholder Involvement Process: Port
of Oakland Maritime Air Quality Improvement Plan
CONCUR
is designing and facilitating a Stakeholder Involvement
Process to support the Port of Oakland's development of
a Maritime Air Quality Improvement Plan (MAQIP). To launch
the planning process, CONCUR facilitated a public kickoff
meeting on April 10, 2007 that drew approximately 80 attendees.
CONCUR
will facilitate regular meetings of the Port of Oakland
Maritime Air Quality Task Force, which is currently being
formed through a stakeholder nomination process to achieve
a balanced representation of stakeholder interests, and
will begin meeting in June 2007. CONCUR will also facilitate
periodic community workshops over the course of the planning
process, which is currently expected to continue through
2007.
The
planning process is Co-Chaired by the Port of Oakland,
the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the
West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project. CONCUR
is working in close coordination with the Port's technical
consultants to provide accessible technical information
to a wide range of stakeholders and to provide opportunities
for stakeholders to engage in discussion with the Port's
technical consultants.
CONCUR
was chosen unanimously by a broad-based selection committee
to design and facilitate the Stakeholder Involvement Process.
Documents
relating to the planning process are posted on two websites:
1.
CONCUR's meeting documents can be found at http://www.concurinc.com/portofoakland/.
2.
The Port of Oakland's planning process documents are at
http://www.portofoakland.com/environm/prog_04c.asp.
CONCUR
Fact Sheets For Colleagues and Prospective Clients:
CONCUR
has developed downloadable Fact Sheet PDFs that describe our
firm and services, and these are
linked below. The Fact Sheets summarize the key elements of
our services and present examples from selected cases. They
present a useful first-level description of our work. We customize
these materials for specific SOQ and RFP submittals. We would
welcome a chance to discuss the needs of specific projects with
you. Please do not circulate or distribute these Fact Sheets
without first contacting CONCUR.
Publication
CDs for Sale
In addition to our training courses, CONCUR
offers our publications in CD
format. To document and learn from the variety of cases we facilitate
and mediate, CONCUR Principals and Associates regularly write about
and share their experiences in the form of CONCUR Working Papers,
journal articles, book chapters, and conference presentations.
We are now offering two CD compilations:
1. CONCUR's Teaching Notes and Resource Guide - The Teaching
Notes are a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to environmental conflict
resolution. The Resource Guide is a compiled list of teaching institutions,
professional organizations, books, articles, journals and newsletters
relevant to the field of environmental dispute resolution. Both the
Teaching Notes and Resource Guide are extremely useful for practitioners,
students, and anyone involved in environmental negotiation, facilitation
or mediation projects.
2. CONCUR Articles and Working Papers - These publications discuss
key elements of our cases, including the techniques and professional
practices used in complex multi-party negotiations. This CD includes
a full set of CONCUR's most important articles and working papers
to-date on a wide range of topics relative to the field, including:
- Using joint fact-finding to resolve environmental and public policy
disputes
- How to link informal agreements to ratified, formal binding agreements
- The integration of natural resource management and negotiation processes
- The use of dispute resolution in land use planning, estuarine management,
and siting disputes
- Cross-cultural applications of dispute resolution
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