CPCX FY2011 Accomplishments

The Mission of the USACE Conflict-resolution & Public-participation Center (CPCX) is to help Corps staff anticipate, prevent, and manage water conflicts, ensuring that the interests of the public are addressed in Corps decision making. In its third year of existence (FY2011), the Center provided technical assistance to Districts, Divisions and other stakeholders on collaborative processes, including Shared Vision Planning, facilitation services, training, and courses on public involvement, risk communication and collaborative modeling. CPCX staff also produced various references to serve USACE in the areas of Environmental Conflict Resolution and collaborative processes.

Highlights from FY2011 include:

CAPACITY BUILDING

• Established the Collaboration & Public Participation Community of Practice with DCW, Steve Stockton, as Champion; the CoP offered webinars including ones on public engagement, risk communication and conflict management, including: Risk Map for Silver Jackets and FEMA; the use of Technology in Public Participation for MsCIP; and Working with Native American Tribes.
• Developed a Facilitator Network and Training. CPCX is building a USACE facilitators network to better serve Divisions and Districts with facilitation needs; CPCX is also working with other agencies to develop a database of federal facilitators. Facilitation training is also being finalized for USACE divisions and districts.
• Led courses on Public Involvement and Teaming in Planning (PCC7/PITB) for SWD, SAJ, as well as PROSPECT. As new course owner for PCC7/PITB, CPCX updated the course, trained new instructors and conducted sessions. CPCX is also the Proponent for a new Risk Communication/Public Participation PROSPECT course
• Other Trainings: Risk Communication seminars for USACE Project Management and Floodplain Management Association conferences; Shared Vision Planning training classes made available online; Suggested revisions to PPM career development guidelines; Collaborative Leadership presentation for USACE Asset Management team.

CONSULTATION SERVICES

• Provided interagency facilitation support for 404 Regulatory issues related to Colorado water supply.
• Designed Shared Vision Planning and Public Involvement process in support of Little Rock District’s Iowa & Cedar Rivers Basin Comprehensive Watershed Planning Process.
• Supported California Water Planning for the state of California and USACE Districts through assistance for the Central Valley Round Table for Flood Protection, California State Water Plan Update 2013, & Shared Vision Planning for the Bay Delta.
• Supported stand-up of Missouri River Flood Task Force for Northwestern Division.

INFORMATION EXCHANGE

• Created a Lessons learned database of case studies on USACE Collaboration (First 16 cases complete)
• Led an international symposium on Collaborative Modeling for Decision Support at the American Water Resources Association summer conference on Integrated Water Resources Management
• Provided Shared Vision Planning mini-trainings for Silver Jackets, and Flood Management Association conference
• Published Converging Waters: Integrating Collaborative Modeling with Participatory Processes to Make Water Resources Decisions. The third publication in the Maass-White Book Series provides a touchstone in the development of collaborative modeling for decision support and was draft by more than dozen experts from multiple organizations.
• Drafted a flowchart for USACE field on when the Federal Advisory Committee Act applies.

 POLICY SUPPORT

• Assembled the annual report on the Use of Environmental Conflict Resolution in USACE for ASA-CW’s submission to CEQ and OMB.
• Finalized and conducted external stakeholder review for Framework and Implementation Plan for Improving Public Involvement in Flood Risk Management Report.
• Provided national leadership in interagency ECR & Technology and Collaborative Modeling working groups.
• Provided USACE support for Environmental Justice Guidance including drafting of a case study on environmental justice in practice in New Orleans during post-Katrina recovery.
• Provided Shared Vision Planning support to UNESCO’s International Center for Integrated Water Resource Management projects and proposals for the Government of Peru and the Mekong River Initiative.

RESEARCH

• Developed methods to address Public Participation, collaboration and communication challenges for Corps document on Risk-based Decision Making for Climate Change.
• Published report on “Collaborative Modeling for Decision Support in Water Resources: Principles and Best Practices” in collaboration with the American Society of Civil Engineers.
• Drafted articles on Indigenous Knowledge in Water Resources, USACE Collaborative Capacity Assessment, and the Intersection of Collaborative Modeling and IWRM.
• Drafted “Use of Collaborative Modeling for IWRM” for UNESCO’s IWRM Guidelines series.

CONTACTS

• Hal Cardwell, CPCX Director; Hal.E.Cardwell@usace.army.mil; 703-428-9071.
• Seth Cohen, CoP coordinator, Seth.B.Cohen@usace.army.mil; 703-428-8047.