Announcements
On May 6 – 8, the US Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution will be hosting a national strategic planning
session - Technology in Environmental Conflict Resolution (ECR) – in Tucson, AZ. The event will bring together
thought leaders, technology specialists, and ECR practitioners with experience and mutual appreciation for the
value technology can bring to ECR processes – and for what ECR can bring to the development of future technologies.
Our goal is to develop a shared vision for integrating new technologies into ECR best practices to support
transparency, collaboration, effective partnerships, and improved decision making in ECR. The Session will include
an introductory Technology Fair presenting innovative applications of technology to ECR programs, with interactive
exhibits, demonstrations, and mini-trainings, followed by one and a half days of working sessions to develop the
national strategic plan. For further information about the Technology in ECR National Strategic Planning Session,
go to: http://sites.google.com/site/ecrtech2009mtg/Home
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Sixth National ECR Conference to be held May 25-27, 2010, in Tucson
The U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution, a program of the Morris K. Udall Foundation, will host its sixth national ECR
Conference in Tucson, Arizona, on May 25-27, 2010. The conference will be held at
Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, nestled in the
foothills of the Catalina Mountains. Training events, panel workshops and associated meetings will take place throughout the week of
May 24-28, 2010, leading into Memorial Day weekend. Mark your calendar now and plan to bring the entire family!
The ECR2010 Conference will provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and mutual learning about the field of environmental
conflict resolution among government representatives, non-governmental organizations, tribal nations and members, community based groups,
environmental advocates, corporate entities, resource managers and users, private individuals, and professionals in the conflict resolution,
mediation and consensus building fields.
If you are interested in attending or co-sponsoring this event, please contact Conference Co-coordinators Pam Carlson at
carlson@ecr.gov or Tina Gargus at gargus@ecr.gov.
For information on previous conferences sponsored by the U.S. Institute and to obtain copies of the ECR2008 Conference Proceedings, please
click on the following link: National ECR Conference.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - APRIL 23, 2009
AGREEMENT REACHED ON GRAZING RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE FISHLAKE NATIONAL FOREST:
PARTIES REACH AGREEMENT ON MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE TUSHAR GRAZING COLLABORATION
For the past two years, the Grand Canyon Trust and Utah Farm Bureau have co-sponsored an effort to resolve
outstanding disputes related to two of eight cattle grazing allotments on the Tushar Mountain Range in the Beaver
Ranger District, Fishlake National Forest, Utah. In March 2009, the USDA Forest Service, permittees, representatives
of environmental groups, and other interested parties reached agreement on revisions to the Ten Mile and Pine
Creek/Sulphurbeds Allotments.
In March 2007, representatives from several environmental organizations agreed to withdraw an administrative appeal
in favor of a collaborative process to develop overall management recommendations for the two grazing allotments. The
collaboration addressed natural resource conditions and livestock management, including but not limited to aspen and
mountain mahogany conservation and restoration on both allotments, and a plan for reestablishment of suitable habitat
for beaver on Pine Creek within the Pine Creek/Sulphurbeds Allotment.
The collaborative effort was formally convened and facilitated by the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict
Resolution, an independent federal agency based in Tucson, Arizona. The U.S. Institute provided general guidance and
facilitation assistance through a third-party neutral, Michele Straube, of Salt Lake City.
"This is an encouraging case where grazing and environmental interests were able to work together successfully, with
strong support from the Forest Service, to resolve disputes over natural resource conditions and grazing management
on public lands," said Larry Fisher, Senior Program Manager at the U.S. Institute.
The parties have been meeting regularly since April 2007, conducting periodic field visits and monitoring work, and
negotiating initial draft documents to determine the current conditions of the two allotments. Based on these
discussions and the monitoring data they have collected together, the parties identified desired conditions that
will be considered by the Forest Service in developing revised Allotment Management Plans.
A final report will soon be circulated and posted on the project website at
http://tushar.ecr.gov. Some details remain to be worked out among the permittees.
While regular meetings of the Collaboration have been completed, much remains to be done in finalizing plans for the
two allotments, and in implementing these agreed-upon changes. The Collaboration is scheduled to meet again in January
2010 and 2011 to review implementation during the previous years.
The U.S. Institute is a federal program established in 1998 by the U.S. Congress to assist parties in resolving
environmental, natural resource and public land conflicts. Since its creation, it has been involved in hundreds of
environmental issues around the country, including numerous projects involving the Forest Service. The U.S. Institute
serves as an impartial, non-partisan institution providing professional expertise, services and resources to all parties
involved in environmental disputes. For more information, visit www.ecr.gov.
The U.S. Institute is a program of the Tucson-based Morris K. Udall Foundation. For more information about the Udall
Foundation, visit www.udall.gov.
"Best Practices for Stakeholder Engagement in Water Resources Planning"
University of Arizona Student Union Memorial Center Ballroom
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
The Water Resources Research Center at The University of Arizona, the Morris K. Udall Foundation, and the Arizona Water Institute
will be co-hosting a conference entitled Best Practices for Stakeholder Engagement in Water Resource Planning on March 17, 2009.
We all have a stake in our water future. What should water planners, managers and policy makers be doing to ensure that our needs and
concerns are heard, understood and addressed? The 2009 conference will examine this question and provide some answers. Planners and
decision makers will talk about their goals, frustrations and successes with stakeholder engagement. Stakeholders will tell us about
their experiences getting their voices heard. Engagement professionals will share the knowledge gained from years of practice. We will
also learn about new technologies, innovations, and cutting-edge research applied to a range of water planning challenges. In addition,
participants will have a chance to get involved in facilitated workshops on special topics. Posters will be on display and a dedicated
poster session will allow time for questions and answers.
Betsy Rieke, former Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science and Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources,
will present the opening keynote address on her experiences with major water negotiations. As luncheon speaker, Grady Gammage will share
his thoughts on the challenges facing Arizona's water planners and stakeholders.
Registration will open on January 7, 2009. Early bird registration is $55.00.
A preliminary agenda, registration and the call for posters information can be found on our web site at
cals.arizona.edu/azwater/programs/conf2009. Registration fee waivers will be available.
Please contact Susanna Eden (seden@cals.arizona.edu) or Sharon Megdal
(smegdal@cals.arizona.edu) for more information.
Sullivan Creek Project Negotiation Team Fifth Mediated Session
On April 1 and 2, 2009, the fifth mediated session of the settlement negotiation team for the surrender of the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license for the Sullivan Creek Hydroelectric Project met in Spokane,
Washington. The negotiation team, which is made up of a mix of state and federal agencies, non-governmental
organizations, the Pend Oreille Public Utility District, local officials, and representatives of the local community,
is working with the help of the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution to find options for resolving
the issues for surrender of the Project license.
At the fifth mediated session, the team discussed how they might best merge some aspects of the Boundary Dam
relicensing and Sullivan Creek decommissioning processes. The group recognized the benefits of aligning the timing
of both processes so that comprehensive agreement can be made on the future of both projects.
The team is currently working on a draft plan to enhance current Sullivan lake management to better meet recreation,
environmental, and PUD ratepayer interests through making adjustments in Sullivan lake flow and regulation. They are
also taking into account costs to ratepayers. As part of the draft plan, the team is looking at enhancing the fishery
of Sullivan Lake by improving fish nutrients in the lake, fish use of the lake, fish habitat in Harvey Creek, and by
reducing loss of fish through the dam.
A lot of data still needs to be collected for the draft plan. Toward that effort, two new team workgroups were formed
at the April mediated session: one to look at the best way to manage the bedload/connectivity in Harvey Creek at the
south end of the lake; and the other to look at lake and downstream creek temperature issues and to explore hydrologic
models to recommend a minimum instream flow in Outlet Creek.
The next mediation session is scheduled for May 6-7, 2009, at the Pend Oreille PUD offices in Newport, Washington. The
public is welcome to attend the mediation sessions if they are willing to sign the Observer Agreement. Anyone wishing
to attend should notify Gail Brooks at brooks@ecr.gov or (520) 901-8532 so that
she can plan the room logistics. A copy of the Observer Agreement is available on the project website and upon request.
Information on the project is available at the project's website:
http://sullivancreek.ecr.gov.
Sullivan Creek Project Negotiation Team Third mediated Session
On February 4 and 5, 2009, the third mediated session of the settlement negotiation team for the surrender of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC) license for the Sullivan Creek Hydroelectric Project met in Spokane, Washington. The negotiation team,
which is made up of a mix of state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, the public utility district, local officials,
and representatives of the local community, is working with the help of the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution to
find options for resolving the issues for surrendering of the Project license.
At its third meeting, the negotiation team continued the information gathering process by listening to presentations from the Washington
Department of Ecology relating to the Columbia River Initiative and from the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife concerning fisheries
issues. The Pend Oreille Public Utility District and the Washington State Department of Ecology also reported on sedimentation, water
quality, and structural issues relating to Mill Pond.
The negotiation team is considering various options and the interests of all stakeholders that must be addressed to find acceptable
solutions. At the meeting, the team came to an agreement that the existing Sullivan Dam should remain in place. The team also identified
that there may be opportunities in Sullivan Creek that could serve as protection, mitigation and enhancement measures in the FERC relicensing
process for Boundary Dam. A negotiation team subgroup of agency and tribal representatives who are involved in both the Sullivan group
and Boundary relicensing process was formed to discuss these measures.
Several options are being considered for Mill Pond, including dam removal. In considering the options, the parties understand the importance
of recreational opportunities that exist now at Mill Pond and the importance of continuing to provide those opportunities.
The team formed several work groups to tackle the considerable study and data collection needed to put together a package of measures that
can assure that all of the economic, recreational and resource needs are met. The team is also gathering information on alternative funding
resources to defray potential costs to the ratepayers.
The next mediation session is scheduled for March 4th and 5th in Newport, Washington, at the public utility district offices. A public
meeting that includes members of the negotiation team is also planned for the evening of March 4th at the Cutter Theater in
Metaline Falls to update anyone interested in the process. Information about the public meeting is posted on the project's website at
http://sullivancreek.ecr.gov.
Mark Schaefer accepts leadership of the US Institute for the Environmental Conflict Resolution
Mark Schaefer, who has held high-level science and environmental policy positions in the federal and nonprofit sectors, has been named
to head the Tucson-based U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution (U.S. Institute). Schaefer's title will be deputy
executive director for environmental conflict resolution of the Morris K. Udall Foundation, which is the parent agency for the U.S. Institute.
"Mark has more than 20 years experience dealing with environmental problems in a variety of positions, including as a scientist, manager
and policymaker. He brings to the U.S. Institute a commitment to conflict resolution processes and collaborative decision making, along with
his deep substantive knowledge about environmental and natural resource issues," said Ellen Wheeler, executive director of the Morris K.
Udall Foundation. "We are excited to have Mark join us." For more information see PRESS RELEASE.