John S. McCain III
National Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution

Areas of Expertise - Transportation and Infrastructure

Transportation and infrastructure projects face the ever-present challenge of adapting to our rapidly changing world and expanding human communities. These service areas require building sustainable partnerships among ecological, biological, geotechnical, cultural, legal, political, and financial sectors. Cost constraints and permitting regulations impose a rigorous procedure to include public perspectives, evaluate environmental impacts, and analyze alternatives. Projects must generate sustainable infrastructure that provides minimal ecological and cultural impact with maximum human benefit (both for today and future generations). To meet these needs, Federal and State agencies must engage with other government agencies, Tribal Nations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other concerned public and private stakeholders.

Environmental collaboration and conflict resolution (ECCR) is a critical tool to address multiparty challenges in the service areas of transportation and infrastructure development. The necessity of public dialogues and interdisciplinary team building frequently calls for ECCR expertise. These issues require innovative approaches to address:

• Multiple stakeholders with diverse perspectives.
• Adverse environmental impacts.
• Economic needs.
• Balancing short and long-term planning.
• Expectations for new and innovative public involvement.
• Changes in rules and policies (e.g. NEPA).
• Enhanced effectiveness for intra- and interagency collaboration.
• Increased frequency of interagency collaboration and coordination.

Our collaboration and conflict resolution services can provide value in the following areas:

• Third-party neutral facilitation.
• Public dialogue.
• Stakeholder engagement.
• Teambuilding, capacity-building, and partnerships.
• National infrastructure policy.
• Transportation planning.
• Land Use Planning and Conservation.
• Transportation and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
• Interagency coordination.
• Interagency collaboration between agencies, stakeholders, Tribes, and the public.
• NEPA Section 106 Government-to-Government Consultation.
• Training in stakeholder engagement, Tribal engagement, Government-to-Government Consultation, and collaboration and conflict resolution.

Click here to view and download the Transportation and Infrastructure flyer.