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CPCX Celebrates Seven Years of Collaboration & Public Participation

Published Nov. 3, 2015
CPCX Celebrates Seven Years of Collaboration & Public Participation

CPCX Celebrates Seven Years of Collaboration & Public Participation

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.   USACE’s Collaboration and Public Participation Center of Expertise (CPCX) just celebrated its seventh year of enabling Corps staff to anticipate, prevent and manage water-related conflicts through collaboration while ensuring that the interests of the public are addressed in a fair and transparent manner.  Founded in October 2008 by Major General Riley, CPCX executes its mission by building the collaborative capacity of Corps staff, by providing direct support to Districts and HQ programs to increase the success of collaborative processes, by advising Corps leadership on effective collaboration, and by building the collaboration expertise necessary to address future challenges. 

DCW Steve Stockton referred to the collaborative skills that the Center promotes as the “special sauce” needed for USACE to play the role of “integrator” and to work with agencies and states to address the nation’s water challenges.

Specific highlights of FY15 for the Center included:

- Coordinated activities such as webinars and newsletter for the growing cross-cutting Collaboration and Public Participation Community of Practice (CPP CoP) -650 members

- Conducted trainings for over 300 people last year in areas such as “Effective Communication for Regulatory” , “Facilitation and multi-party skills for working with Tribes” , Public Involvement and Teaming in Planning, and Risk Communication

- Oversaw the second year of the Public Involvement Specialists pilot program by identifying and enabling Subject Matter Experts at the District-level to provide direct technical assistance, assess collaboration needs, and increase skills

- Responded to dozens of District requests for collaboration support, including facilitation of  multiple SMART Planning charrettes and provided pro-bono on-call advice to Districts

- Launched the Risk Communication Toolbox

- Supported St. Paul Regulatory Branch for Tribal Consultation programs and meetings

- Provided public participation support to Center Valley Integrated Flood Management project (SPK), Blanchard River Watershed Study (LRB), Cherry Creek Dam (NWO), Visioning Study for Portneuf River (NWW), and Big Blue River Floodplain Management effort (NWK)

- Guided Shared Vision Planning effort for West Maui Watershed Study for POH

  • Led Stakeholder Engagement Team for Watershed Informed Budgeting
  • Initiated Stakeholder Engagement and Risk Communication team start-up for the National Levee Safety Program

- Drafted and revised guide for Public Involvement for Dam Safety Modification Studies

- Facilitated Planning Essentials Team including development of the new virtual planning core curriculum course

- Conducted 2014 Report to OMB/CEQ on Use of Environmental Collaboration & Conflict Resolution in USACE

- Produced webinars & newsletters on E-collaboration platforms, social media, and interactive visualization for flood risk communication.

- Designed and implemented the San Antonio Multi Hazard Tournament in collaboration with SWF and the San Antonio River Authority.  The tournament uses Shared Vision Planning principles to promote stakeholder discussions of tradeoffs on flood, drought and other water resource risks.

FY 15 also included the rejuvenation of the CPP CoP Steering Committee now drawing  expertise from more business lines, and its first ever in-person meeting.   The Steering Committee outlined an ambitious work plan for FY16 and established working groups on External Collaboration, Internal Collaboration, and Information Sharing that will help ensure continued success.

Learn More

For more information, visit IWR www.iwr.usace.army.mil

www.iwr.usace.army.mil/cpc

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