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U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution

The U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution of the Morris K. Udall Foundation (U.S. Institute) and IWR signed a Memorandum of Understanding recognizing a mutual interest advancing the practice of Environmental Conflict Resolution (ECR). The Parties share expertise in the development, application, and transfer of alternative dispute resolution processes and analytical techniques in support of Integrated Water Resources Management and sustainable development.

About the Memorandum of Understanding

Signed: January 18, 2008

Signing Parties

  • Kirk Emerson, Director (U.S. Institute)
  • Robert A. Pietrowsky, Director (IWR)

Purpose: The U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution and IWR will partner to promote and facilitate the effective use of Environmental Conflict Resolution and build internal collaborative problem solving capacity within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and its various partners and stakeholders (with particular emphasis on convening and assessment work) in project planning facilitation and mediation (particularly interagency and intergovernmental) and in consensus building and conflict resolution training and skill development.

Terms: The Parties are specifically interested in pursuing cooperative opportunities in the following areas of common interest (within the context of Integrated Water Resources Management, water security, and environmentally sustainable development):

  •  Internal USACE and related intergovernmental assessments to evaluate and establish favorable conditions for successful multilateral collaborations aimed at building consensus/resolving conflict
  • Assessment, design, convening and facilitating of interagency and/or intergovernmental negotiations and collaborative planning efforts;
  • Process design and related technical and/or advisory assistance on collaborative USACE projects
  • Technical assistance on convening collaborative efforts with tribes, and providing training in government-to-government consultation with tribes
  • Facilitation, alternative dispute resolution, or third party mediation services from the U.S. Institute or jointly in partnership with IWR collaborative modeling to address water resources conflict at the project, watershed, regional, national or international (trans-boundary) levels
  • Employee exchanges, details and/or Intergovernmental Personal Act (IPA) appointments
  • Development and delivery of collaboration skills training for USACE personnel involved in interagency/intergovernmental partnership projects
  • Design and conduct of ECR and collaboration training (orientation and collaboration principles) for USACE leadership (military and civilian), partners and stakeholders
  • Outreach to USACE Division and Districts offices on ECR resources and opportunities for applying collaborative problem solving
  • National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) collaboration training for USACE leaders, environmental subject matter experts, project managers, regulatory specialists, and project partners, stakeholders and regulatory clients
  • Development, documentation, promotion, and assistance in the application of a broad range of ECR and Computer Aided Dispute Resolution (CADRe) techniques, including Shared Vision Planning (SVP), which constitute an ECR methodological “toolbox”
  • Peer review and peer support of collaborative planning activities, model development and documentation, and related technical products and services
  • Consensus building and conflict resolution policy development, and governance and institutional diagnosis analysis
  • Other related ECR capacity building and training, and technology transfer activities
  • Professional and academic standards for ECR, and educational methods and systems
About U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution

The U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution was established through the Environmental Policy and Conflict Resolution Act of 1998 as an independent Federal entity. Its mission is to impartially assist in the resolution of Federal environmental, natural resources and public lands conflicts and controversies through facilitated negotiation, mediation, and collaborative problem-solving.

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