What It’s Really Like to Be a Facilitator
By Richard Alper, Founder and Principal In recent posts, [...]
Potomac River
Inter-jurisdictional Water Pollution Management
The Department of Justice filed suit on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency against nine state, county, and municipal governments. The lawsuit claimed that a massive regional water treatment plant exceeded its permitted treatment capacity after heavy rainfall and caused significant pollution in the Potomac River.
Services:
Facilitation, Mediation
Patuxent River
"Wild and Scenic" Designation
Due to considerable disagreement among environmentalists, recreational fishermen, farmers, and commercial boatmen regarding the Patuxent River’s designation as “Wild and Scenic,” we conducted a situation assessment involving 40+ stakeholder interviews to explore whether the parties might find common ground for such a designation.
Services:
Facilitation, Public Engagement
Water Rights Dispute
Allocation of Water Supply
Three parties–a developer, a private school, and a homeowner’s association (HOA)–were unable to negotiate an agreement regarding their rights to their collective water supply allocated by the county. Each party wanted access to the limited water supply for specific purposes. The HOA wanted to water lawns and maintain a swimming pool. The developer sought county approval to install water taps in the homes it planned to build. The school wanted water access for daily consumption and science and physical education classes.
Services:
Facilitation
