Understanding Dispute Resolution Processes for American and Australian Public Wildlands: Towards a Conceptual Framework for Managers

/ The last 20 years have seen the successful application of environmental dispute resolution processes, where people voluntarily negotiate toward mutually acceptable solutions, to many environmental disputes. The effects of contextual influences, such as the number of parties and presence of deadlines, on outcomes are known and frequently described. Less well documented and understood are the interaction processes themselves. This paper draws on two case studies to develop a conceptual framework describing these processes. Disputes associated with management planning for the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex in the United States and Fitzgerald River National Park in Australia provided the cases. The conceptual framework derived had eight sequential stages: (1) joint definition of problems, (2) uncertainty about what to do, (3) agreement on group procedures, (4) realization of interdependence, (5) enthusiasm about collective possibilities, (6) commitment to working together, (7) consolidation of the group, and (8) implementation of a resolution. The framework provides new insights for managers of public wildlands, especially the need for varying but ongoing managerial involvement in dispute resolution processes. High levels of involvement and influence are essential at the beginning in problem definition and group procedure design and at the end in implementing resolutions. Conversely, agency members must be willing to exert less influence, while still being involved and committed to collective purposes, during the middle stages. Also apparent from the conceptual framework is the importance of developing shared understandings and of allowing sufficient time for understanding to develop, if successful resolution is to be achieved. KEY WORDS: Environmental dispute resolution; Conceptual framework; Public wildlands; Shared understandings; Australia     

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS ON THE DANUBE AND THE PLATTE1

ABSTRACT: Two case studies highlighting the institutional arrangements and decision-making processes used to attempt to allocate water on large scale river systems in two countries are presented. In both cases the implementation of river plans has been blocked by conflicts between those who wish to use water for irrigation, hydropower, or municipal purposes and those who wish to maintain instream flows for fish and wildlife. To date conflict has blocked the implementation of a large hydropower scheme on the Danube River, downstream from Vienna, Austria, and the construction of municipal and agricultural projects, as well as the relicensing of an existing hydropower facility on the Platte River in Nebraska. Analysis of the decision-making processes and institutional settings of both cases led to the identification of problem areas and development of recommendations that would support the achievement of compromise solutions for management.     

OPTIMIZING WELL PLACEMENT IN A COASTAL AQUIFER: OUTER CAPE COD,MASSACHUSETTS1

ABSTRACT: An inverse‐simulation approach is used to determine optimal strategies for developing public water‐supply systems in a shallow, coastal aquifer on the outermost arm of the Cape Cod peninsula in Massachusetts. Typically a forward simulation (or “trial and error”) approach is used to find best pumping strategies, but the chances of finding success with this tact diminish as the number of potential options grows large. Well locations and pumping rates are optimized with respect to: (1) providing sufficient water to areas of water‐quality impairment, (2) minimizing impacts to nearby surface waters, (3) preventing saltwater contamination due to overpumping, and (4) minimizing financial cost of well development. Potential well sites and water‐supply scenarios are separated into “politically‐based” and “resource‐based” categories to gain insight into the degree that pre‐existing political boundaries hinder best management practices. The approach provides a promising tool in transboundary water‐resources settings because it allows stakeholders to find solutions that best meet everyone's goals, as opposed to pursuing options that will create conflict, or are less than optimal.     

The Colorado,USA, Joint Review Process: an initial evaluation of its success as a permit reform by key participants

Colorado, USA, developed the Joint Review Process (CJRP) in 1978 to coordinate the application and review of permits required for major development projects. Since then, the state has used the process on over 20 projects. This study examined whether the CJRP has achieved its primary goals—enhanced coordination of agencies, enhanced public participation, and strengthened communication between agencies and project sponsors— and several related secondary goals. The success of the process was measured through a survey of 54 key people who had been directly involved with the process. Those surveyed included federal and state agency staff, local agency managers, corporate officers, private consultants, and environmental leaders. All groups, with one exception, agreed that the process achieved its primary goals and that it should be retained. Environmental leaders were neutral about whether the process enhanced public participation and about retaining the process. The report concludes with a review of recommended improvements to and applications of the CJRP.     

车载环境γ能谱测量系统探测器设计及性能研究

车载环境γ能谱测量系统探测器是环境γ能谱测量技术领域研究热点。为提高探测效率,缩短测量时间,针对车载环境γ能谱测量系统设计了双NaI(Tl)晶体探测器,并测试了探测器主要性能指标。研究表明,探测器能量分辨率为6.73%,计数稳定性优于4.2%,可识别238U、232Th、40K等核素,可清晰分辨152Eu各能量峰,温度稳定性优于2.93%。可见,该探测器性能优异,具有较强的能量分辨和稳定性,为车载γ能谱测量系统的设计提供了技术基础,也为大体积探测器的设计提供了实验基础,有望在辐射环境监测等领域推广应用。     

珠江口现代沉积物柱芯样多环芳烃高分辨沉积记录研究

通过对采集于珠江三角洲澳门河口区的沉积物柱状样品中多环芳烃的GC MS定量分析测定,并结合210Pb同位素定年分析,重建了珠江口近代有机污染物的污染史(1959～1996年).研究结果表明,柱芯样品中多环芳烃的浓度为0.6～4.5μg·g-1(干重计),污染程度为中等.其中在20世纪60年代和80年代分别记录到两个高的污染峰,表明这两个时间段内有较大的污染物输入.以母体化合物比值对沉积物样品中的多环芳烃来源进行了分析,结果表明是受到了以油类和不完全燃烧产物为主的混合污染,且污染来源较为单一.对沉积物毒性潜在效应的计算表明,表层沉积物毒性效应较大,且从90年代初期开始后至1996年,毒性当量浓度呈线性趋势增加.     

流域污染负荷水质响应的时空数值源解析方法研究

以目前广泛应用的环境流体动力学模型EFDC为平台,构建时空数值源解析方法,理论上可以得到任意时刻任意空间点位污染物的来源构成.其原理是考虑水质模型的微分方程,直接对每个污染负荷再微分,从而将原来1个微分方程变为关于每个污染源的微分方程组,然后联立以EFDC的水动力模型求解,得到每个源对每个时空点的贡献.概化的抚仙湖模型作为数值案例用以验证方法.时空数值源解析的结果与传统扰动方法的结果几乎重合,验证了时空数值源解析方法的正确性.另一方面,数值案例中存在34个独立的污染源,扰动法则需要35次模拟,而时空数值源解析方法的结果通过单次模拟就可得到,说明时空数值源解析方法具有明显的计算效率优势.而通过对结果的进一步分析可以发现,时空数值源解析方法可以提供更精确的源贡献的动态描述.     

京津冀地区钢铁行业高时空分辨率排放清单方法研究

针对目前京津冀地区钢铁行业大气污染物排放量基数不清,排放清单缺失的现状,以钢铁行业调研、企业在线监测、污染源调查等数据为基础,综合考虑钢铁行业具体工艺设备、环保措施、产能等信息,按照自下而上的方法建立了一套高时空分辨率排放清单.经计算,2012年京津冀地区钢铁企业排放SO2为47.16万t,NOx为37.22万t,烟粉尘为34.15万t,其中烧结和高炉工艺为京津冀钢铁行业污染物的主要来源;从空间分布来看,唐山、邯郸两地区集中了整个京津冀地区一半以上的钢铁企业,其污染物排放量占到了整个区域钢铁企业排放总量的一半以上.     

荧光素酶报告基因法测定废气中二英类物质

研究二噁英类生物检测法的主要目的是简化二噁英类分析流程,并找出快速检测的结果与HRGC-HRMS(高分辨气相色谱-高分辨质谱)结果之间的换算系数,从而可以利用快速检测的结果和换算系数来推算HRGC-HRMS的结果. 介绍了CALUX(荧光素酶报告基因法)分析废气中二噁英类物质的原理,并采用该方法分析了我国27个废气样品,以期找出其测定结果与HRGC-HRMS结果之间的换算系数. 结果表明,这2种测试方法数据相关性显著,R2为0.994 8,数据间的换算系数为0.379. 试验表明,CALUX法具有很好的推广性,如果再适当增加废气样品的数量,对换算系数进行适当的优化,则所得换算系数可推广.