The role of the Center for Science in Public Participation in Mining Environmental Issues, with Perspective for Regulators and Industry

2002

David M. Chambers,

WAR II - Sharing Resoureces The Center for Science in Public Participation is a non profit organization that provides technical assistance to grassroots public interest groups on mining environmental issues. The Center’s goal is to provide technical analysis and training to focus the debate on factual issues. Whenever possible the Center seeks consensus and win-win solutions. Two key examples of the Center’s involvement in mining issue conflict resolution are working with the Fort Belknap Indian Community on the Zortman-Landusky mine reclamation project, and the Stillwater Mining Company and Northern Plains Resources Councils Good Neighbor Agreement affecting the East Boulder and Stillwater projects. A description of the Center’s activities and a summary of our involvement in the Zortman Landusky and Good Neighbor Agreement projects is given, and a discussion of our perspective and recommendations to industry and regulators in dealing with mining environmental issues is presented.

Keywords: resolution, participation, organization, consensus, Environmental, conflict, public, Mining, non-profit