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Projects

This page contains descriptions of a sampling of recent Adamant Accord projects. For a more complete list of projects, please click here.

Massachusetts Bays Estuaries Program Facilitation Adamant Accord is facilitating a series of meetings between EPA, the Office of Costal Zone Management and the Massachusetts Bays Estuaries Association to chart the future course of the Massachusetts Bays Estuaries Program.
Regional Energy Efficiency Workforce Development Forum Adamant Accord is working with the Northeast Coalition for Air Use Management (NESCAUM) and EPA to design and facilitate a forum of experts from the northeastern states to be help in late March 2009. The goals of the forum are to share best practices and build strategic relationships across states, identify key priorities and action items, and to develop recommendations to the northeastern Governors and Commissioners.
Vermont Climate Collaborative Adamant Accord has been asked to facilitate the meetings of the Vermont Climate Collaborative -- a partnership of Vermont’s government, academic and private sectors to address climate change.
Water Quality Standards for Hydroelectric Projects Facilitation Adamant Accord is facilitating a public stakeholder process convened by the Vermont Water Resources Panel to review existing and proposed conservation flow standards for the water quality review of proposed hydroelectric facilities in Vermont. After reviewing these standards. The goal of the Stakeholder Hydroelectric Interested Parties Process ("SHIPP") is to develop recommendations to the Panel regarding the need to amend the existing Vermont conservation flow standards. Inter-Municipal Water System Facilitations Adamant Accord, in affiliation with the North Star Group, provides facilitation services to Vermont municipalities that are negotiating inter-municipal agreements regarding public water systems. These services are through a contract with the Water Supply Division of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.
West Valley Citizens Task Force After a national search, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) recently selected Adamant Accord and a colleague to provide facilitation services for the West Valley Citizens Task Force (WVCTF). The WVCTF serves as a forum for interaction between local communities and regulatory agencies regarding the management of the Western New York Service Center — a former nuclear waste reprocessing facility and high and low level radioactive waste storage facility located south of Buffalo, NY. Adamant Accord conducted a situation assessment and facilitated monthly meetings of the WVCTF and facilitated discussion between the WVCTF and NYSERDA, DOE, and a number of other regulatory agencies including EPA, NYDEC, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regarding the remediation of the project site. Many participants have commented that Cindy’s facilitation has led to a much improved relationship between the WVCTF and the agencies. For more information: www.westvalleyctf.org	"We couldn't have done it without you!" – President of the Board of a Non-Profit Organization, echoed by many meeting participants
Two Countries, One Forest Conference Adamant Accord worked with 2C1F’s Executive Director to design a conference that involved intensive interactions of approximately 150 scientists, tribal members, and community organizers at a two-day conference in Montreal entitled Crossing Boundaries and Connecting Landscapes: Conserving the Northern Appalachian/Acadian Ecoregion. Cindy Cook served as lead facilitator for the conference, and trained and supervised facilitators for break-out sessions. The conference was hugely successful. For more information: www.2c1forest.org/conference/index.html
Innovative Stormwater Management in the District of Columbia Adamant Accord worked with EPA’s Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds Smart Growth Team the District of Columbia’s Department of the Environment, and a number of other District agencies to explore options for expanding the use of innovative stormwater management practices within the District. These meetings helped improve communication and increase collaboration within the District and between the District and EPA regarding the use of low impact development technologies. Vermont Forest Roundtable Adamant Accord facilitated a series of seven meetings of the Vermont Forest Roundtable -- a group of approximately 75 to 100 representatives of organizations interested in forest issues in Vermont. The meetings focused on strategies for preventing fragmentation of forest lands in Vermont and culminated in a report to the legislature that was adopted by consensus of the group. The roundtable was deemed highly successful. Participants placed a high value on the opportunity to interact with colleagues and have chosen to continue to meet on an informal basis. For more information: www.svr3.acornhost.com/~vnrcorg/frt
Vermont Wind Power Policy Development Wind power is a hot topic in Vermont. In the spring of 2006, it was possible to go to a public meeting about wind power proposals almost every weeknight. These meetings involved heated debates in which speakers expressed strongly-held opinions. Rancor was high. So when state officials began developing a policy regarding the wind power facilities on state owned land, they were quite apprehensive about how they could involve the public. They were very pleasantly surprised. The state contracted with Adamant Accord to design and implement a public involvement process. We worked with the state’s inter-agency policy work group to clarify the process that the work group would follow to develop and adopt a policy. We then designed an intensive public involvement process. We developed and distributed objective summaries of key issues, created a steering committee composed of people with a wide range of viewpoints, and invited this group to offer its comments throughout the process. We facilitated a series of eight public meetings across the state— meetings that were very different than other wind power meetings. Participants had the opportunity to engage in in-depth, respectful conversation with people with varying viewpoints in small group settings. Adamant Accord facilitators guided the discussions and recorded comments. All comments were posted on the workgroup’s website within 24 hours. The workgroup reviewed the comments from the meetings and comments received via e-mail. The group then issued a draft policy for public comment, again reviewed comments and revised the policy, and then issued a final policy. While participants were mixed in their reaction to the ultimate policy, they were unanimous in lauding the process. They felt they were heard. For more information: www.vermontwindpolicy.org See Fact Sheets / Process Map	"Your clear, direct questioning and gentle style were very effective in helping us reach agreement." – Attorney representing a client in an employment discrimination mediation
Elizabeth Mine Superfund Cleanup, Vermont When the communities that host the Elizabeth Mine site asked Cindy to facilitate community meetings, they were locked in an unproductive, no-win conversation. Some people would assert “The mine should be listed on the EPA Superfund List.” Others would respond “No it shouldn’t.”, then again “Yes, it should.” And so it went…. Cindy worked with community members to transform the conversation into one that was far more creative. She worked with EPA to develop a community involvement plan describing how EPA would interact with the community to address community concerns. After careful consideration, the group agreed by consensus to support Superfund listing. Cindy facilitated intensive discussions with EPA and the state agency of natural resources in which the community had an active voice in shaping the cleanup design. For more information: www.dartmouth.edu/~cehs/CAGsite/welcome.html See Fact Sheets / Process Map