John S. McCain III
National Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution

Basic Principles for Agency Engagement in Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution

2012 Memorandum on Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution, Attachment B - Office of Management and Budget and President's Council on Environmental Quality.

Informed Commitment
Confirm willingness and availability of appropriate agency leadership and staff at all levels to commit to principles of engagement; ensure commitment to participate in good faith with open mindset to new perspectives.

Balanced, Voluntary Representation
Ensure balanced inclusion of affected/concerned interests; all parties should be willing and able to participate and select their own representatives.

Group Autonomy
Engage with all participants in developing and governing process; including choice of consensus-based decision rules; seek assistance as needed from impartial facilitator/mediator selected by and accountable to all parties.

Informed Process
Seek agreement on how to share, test and apply relevant information (scientific, cultural, technical, etc.) among participants; ensure relevant information is accessible and understandable by all participants.

Accountability
Participate in the process directly, fully, and in good faith; be accountable to all participants, as well as agency representatives and the public.

Openness
Ensure all participants and public are fully informed in a timely manner of the purpose and objectives of process; communicate agency authorities, requirements and constraints; uphold confidentiality rules and agreements as required for particular proceedings.

Timeliness
Ensure timely decisions and outcomes.

Implementation
Ensure decisions are implementable consistent with federal law and policy; parties should commit to identify roles and responsibilities necessary to implement agreement; parties should agree in advance on the consequences of a party being unable to provide necessary resources or implement agreement; ensure parties will take steps to implement and obtain resources necessary to agreement.