NEPA Comment Analysis: Formalized War or Opportunity to Increase Capacity?

5/21/2008 10:30am – 12:00pm

Presenters:

Carie Fox, J.D., M.S., Fox Mediation(Facilitator)
Dick Prather, Bureau of Land Management
Gary Light, ICF International
Michael Mortimer, Ph.D., J.D., Society of American Foresters, Virginia Tech
Raymond McCall, Ph.D., University of Colorado
Richard A. Fairbanks, The Wilderness Society

Track:

Technology, Tools and Innovations in ECR

Description:

NEPA comment analysis needs to be rethought. The sheer number of comments, the disconnect between what the agency will respond to and what the public seeks to express and the emphasis on litigation outcomes has created a system that is as costly as it is polarizing. Are basic negotiation principles such as interest-based dialogue capable of informing some aspects of NEPA comment analysis? This session integrates practical information about the NEPA commenting and comment analysis process, the science (or art) of comment analysis, law and the expertise of all the participants in the room to sketch some possibilities for the future.

Primary Target Audience(s):

Corporate Entities/Resource Users
ECR Practitioners/Attorney Mediators
Government Staff (Federal, State, Local and Tribal)
Native Americans, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians

Handouts/Presentations:

NEPA Comment Panel Slides.pdf