Projects
This page contains descriptions of a sampling of recent Adamant Accord projects. For a more complete list of projects, please click here.
Integrative Health Care CollaborationAdamant Accord is facilitating discussions between the University of Vermont Medical Center, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, the College of Medicine and the Laura Mann Center regarding the creation of an Institute for Integrative Care and Well-Being at the University of Vermont. |
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Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Public InvolvementAdamant Accord is serving as the Public Information Office for a large design-build bridge replacement project on Interstate 91 in Brattleboro, VT. |
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Taracorp Superfund FacilitationWe worked with residential property owners within the zone of contamination of a lead smelter Superfund site. Adamant Accord contacted the property owners who had not yet granted access for soil sampling to ensure that their decision was well-informed. |
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Mill River CleanupAdamant Accord is facilitating intensive discussions between the Town of Fairfield, CT, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and Exide, Inc regarding the remediation of lead-contaminated sediments in the Mill River. These discussions will likely resolve a 41-year-old dispute. |
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Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program AssessmentAdamant Accord conducted an organizational assessment of the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program and will make recommendations for strengthening its financial and institutional stability. |
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Woodridge Lake Milfoil ManagementAdamant Accord worked with the Board of Directors of the Woodridge Lake Property Owners Association regarding the management of invasive milfoil in Woodridge Lake, Goshen, CT. |
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City of Burlington Political RedistrictingAdamant Accord facilitated meetings of the Redistricting Committee created by the Burlington City Council to develop a plan to redistrict the city’s wards so that they are representative of the city’s population. |
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Southern New England Coastal Watershed Restoration InitiativeAdamant Accord co-facilitated a regional EPA initiative to create a collaborative framework to protect, enhance, and restore the coastal watersheds of Southeast New England. Work includes identifying shared restoration priorities and developing, testing, and implementing best practices for restoration and renewal across the bi-state area of Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts.Narragansett Bay National Estuary ProgramAdamant Accord conducted an assessment of the Narragansett Bay National Estuary Program and made recommendations for strengthening its financial and institutional stability, and is now facilitating the development of a corrective action plan. |
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CIRC Highway Alternatives Task ForceAdamant Accord is facilitating the CIRC Alternatives Task Force—a transportation Task Force convened by the Governor to identify planning and construction projects that will meet the original Purpose and Need of the CIRC Highway Project, in Chittenden County, Vermont.Vermont Gas Addison Expansion ProjectAdamant Accord designed and facilitated a robust public engagement process -- including a stakeholder advisory group and a technical working group -- for a natural gas line expansion project proposed by Vermont Gas Systems, Inc. |
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Environmental Justice and Green Jobs Initiative: Connecting Trained Community Members with Environmental JobsFacilitator of an initiative to identify strategies for increasing the success of unemployed and underemployed New England Brownfields job training graduates in getting jobs that benefit the environment, including jobs related to Brownfields assessment and remediation, sustainable reuse and energy efficiency. |
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U.S. Forest Service Eastern Region RoundtableAdamant Accord facilitated a regional roundtable for the U.S. Forest Service’s Eastern Region. This roundtable gathered input regarding the development of a new planning rule that will govern the development of future National Forest land and resource management plans. |
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Massachusetts Bays Estuaries Program FacilitationAdamant Accord facilitated 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. |
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Regional Energy Efficiency Workforce Development ForumAdamant Accord worked with the Northeast Coalition for Air Use Management (NESCAUM) and EPA to design and facilitate a forum of experts from the northeastern states. The goals of the forum were 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. |
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Vermont Climate CollaborativeAdamant Accord facilitated meetings of the Vermont Climate Collaborative -- a partnership of Vermont's government, academic and private sectors to address climate change. |
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Water Quality Standards for Hydroelectric Projects FacilitationAdamant Accord facilitated 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") was to develop recommendations to the Panel regarding the need to amend the existing Vermont conservation flow standards. |
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West Valley Citizens Task ForceAfter a national search, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) 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 Adamant Accord’s facilitation led to a much improved relationship between the WVCTF and the lead state and federal 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 ConferenceAdamant 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 |
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Innovative Stormwater Management in the District of ColumbiaAdamant 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. |
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Vermont Wind Power Policy DevelopmentWind 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.orgSee 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, VermontWhen 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.See Fact Sheets / Process Map |
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Inter-Municipal Water System FacilitationsAdamant Accord, in affiliation with the North Star Group, provided facilitation services to Vermont municipalities that were negotiating inter-municipal agreements regarding public water systems. These services were conducted for the Water Supply Division of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. |