Partnering with Partnering with Environmental GroupsEnvironmental Groups

Kay Nelson,Kay Nelson,Director, Director, Environmental AffairsEnvironmental AffairsNorthwest Indiana ForumNorthwest Indiana Forum

Northwest Indiana Northwest Indiana ForumForum A regional, non-profit economic A regional, non-profit economic

development organizationdevelopment organization Services Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Services Lake, Porter, LaPorte and

Starke CountiesStarke Counties Membership organization – 123 Membership organization – 123

members including industrial and members including industrial and commercial businesses, financial commercial businesses, financial entities, universities and municipalitiesentities, universities and municipalities

Reflecting $40 Billion in commerceReflecting $40 Billion in commerce

Forum Environmental Forum Environmental CommitteeCommittee Committee members include:Committee members include:

– ArcelorMittal USA, Indiana Harbor & ArcelorMittal USA, Indiana Harbor & Burns HarborBurns Harbor

– United States SteelUnited States Steel– BPBP– CargillCargill– MicroBac LabsMicroBac Labs– Many othersMany others

Committee Mission Committee Mission StatementStatement To represent the interests of the To represent the interests of the

Northwest Indiana Forum Northwest Indiana Forum membership on environmental membership on environmental issues affecting the quality of life issues affecting the quality of life and business climate in and business climate in Northwest IndianaNorthwest Indiana

Committee Goals:Committee Goals:

#1. To strengthen the Forum’s role #1. To strengthen the Forum’s role as a primary advocate on as a primary advocate on legislative and regulatory legislative and regulatory proposals regarding proposals regarding environmental issuesenvironmental issues

Objectives:Objectives:

Participate in public and informal Participate in public and informal discussions on environmental issues discussions on environmental issues of concern to Forum membersof concern to Forum members

Prepare and present forum written Prepare and present forum written comments on proposed comments on proposed environmental laws and regulations environmental laws and regulations as requested by the Committee and as requested by the Committee and Forum administrationForum administration

Objectives ContinuedObjectives Continued

Inform Forum membership of local, state Inform Forum membership of local, state and federal laws and regulations and federal laws and regulations affecting their interest and the impact affecting their interest and the impact these may have on their operationsthese may have on their operations

Identify, assess and monitor pertinent Identify, assess and monitor pertinent regulatory, legislative and environmental regulatory, legislative and environmental proposals affecting Northwest Indianaproposals affecting Northwest Indiana

Seek consensus of Forum members on Seek consensus of Forum members on environmental issue positions developed environmental issue positions developed by the Committeeby the Committee

Committee Goals Committee Goals

#2 To be a resource supporting #2 To be a resource supporting the Northwest Indiana Forum’s the Northwest Indiana Forum’s role for regional economic role for regional economic developmentdevelopment

ObjectivesObjectives

Foster continual improvement in Foster continual improvement in Brownfields development through Brownfields development through participation with regulatory agencies, participation with regulatory agencies, advocacy groups and local economic advocacy groups and local economic development organizations (LEDOs)development organizations (LEDOs)

Develop relationships with regional Develop relationships with regional organizations such as Indiana organizations such as Indiana Economic Development Corporation Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), Northern Indiana Regional (IEDC), Northern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) and Planning Commission (NIRPC) and Regional Development Authority (RDA) Regional Development Authority (RDA) to coordinate effortsto coordinate efforts

Objectives ContinuedObjectives Continued

To become a clearinghouse for To become a clearinghouse for disseminating factual information disseminating factual information regarding environmental regarding environmental successes, opportunities and successes, opportunities and challenges in Northwest Indianachallenges in Northwest Indiana

Prioritize information and assist in Prioritize information and assist in development of methods for development of methods for informing audiencesinforming audiences

SubcommitteesSubcommittees

Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River Basin Compact TeamBasin Compact Team

Antidegradation RulemakingAntidegradation Rulemaking Environmental Permitting Environmental Permitting

Information teamsInformation teams

Who we partner Who we partner with….with…. Save The DunesSave The Dunes Alliance for the Great LakesAlliance for the Great Lakes National Wildlife Federation, state National Wildlife Federation, state

and national officesand national offices Individual CommunitiesIndividual Communities

Partnering ExamplePartnering Example

Great Lakes CompactGreat Lakes Compact– Tom Anderson, Charlotte Read – Save Tom Anderson, Charlotte Read – Save

the Dunesthe Dunes– Lee Botts – Environmentalist and Lee Botts – Environmentalist and

Alliance for the Great Lakes Alliance for the Great Lakes representativerepresentative

– John Goss, Molly Flannagan, Indiana John Goss, Molly Flannagan, Indiana National Wildlife FederationNational Wildlife Federation

– Cameron Davis, Alliance for the Great Cameron Davis, Alliance for the Great LakesLakes

What we did…..What we did…..

Knew that we wanted to support the Knew that we wanted to support the Compact conceptsCompact concepts

Recognized that there would be Recognized that there would be components that may be viewed components that may be viewed differently by industry/municipalities differently by industry/municipalities and environmental stakeholdersand environmental stakeholders

Determined that we wanted to have Determined that we wanted to have the dialogue locally to discuss the dialogue locally to discuss potential differencespotential differences

What we did…..What we did…..

Contacted local environmental Contacted local environmental stakeholders to invite them to stakeholders to invite them to discuss the issues proposed to be discuss the issues proposed to be addressed by the Compact addressed by the Compact developmentdevelopment

Began a dialogue – lots of coffee!!Began a dialogue – lots of coffee!!

What we learned….What we learned….

There weren’t as many differences There weren’t as many differences in the stakeholders viewsin the stakeholders views

Where there were differences, we Where there were differences, we were able to discuss themwere able to discuss them

All stakeholders needed to be able All stakeholders needed to be able to freely express concerns and to freely express concerns and opinionsopinions

With open dialogue, education and With open dialogue, education and exchange, we found solutionsexchange, we found solutions

What we What we accomplished….accomplished…. Created a joint environmental/industrial Created a joint environmental/industrial

Statement of Support for the Statement of Support for the development and implementation of the development and implementation of the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River Basin Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River Basin CompactCompact

The only joint support statement from the The only joint support statement from the 8 Great Lakes states of this kind8 Great Lakes states of this kind

Asked by Ohio Compact representative if Asked by Ohio Compact representative if we could teach their stakeholders ‘how to we could teach their stakeholders ‘how to get along’get along’

What we What we accomplished….accomplished…. Worked closely with Senator Beverly Worked closely with Senator Beverly

Gard, Senator Karen Tallian, Senator Gard, Senator Karen Tallian, Senator Ed Charbonneau, Kari Evans and Ed Charbonneau, Kari Evans and David Pippen of Governor Daniels David Pippen of Governor Daniels office and Ron McAhron of the office and Ron McAhron of the Indiana Department of Natural Indiana Department of Natural Resources on Senate Bill 45 that Resources on Senate Bill 45 that positioned Indiana as the first state positioned Indiana as the first state to pass language to adopt and to pass language to adopt and implement the Compactimplement the Compact

What we What we accomplished….accomplished…. Compact team members provided Compact team members provided

educational outreach to many local educational outreach to many local meetings meetings

Compact team members testified Compact team members testified before numerous Senate and House before numerous Senate and House Environmental Committee hearingsEnvironmental Committee hearings

WOWed the legislators with our joint WOWed the legislators with our joint environmental/industrial support environmental/industrial support

Senate Bill 45Senate Bill 45

First bill of the 2008 Legislative First bill of the 2008 Legislative Session signed by Governor Session signed by Governor Daniels in February, 2008Daniels in February, 2008

In recognition of our partnership In recognition of our partnership effort, the “Compact Team” was effort, the “Compact Team” was invited by the Governor to attend invited by the Governor to attend the signing ceremonythe signing ceremony

Taking it to the Taking it to the Federal level….Federal level…. Invited to testify before the Invited to testify before the

Senate Judicial Committee, Senate Judicial Committee, Washington DC on Senate Joint Washington DC on Senate Joint Resolution 45, July 2008Resolution 45, July 2008

Senator Feingold and committee Senator Feingold and committee members were impressed… members were impressed…

It works so keep on It works so keep on doing it…doing it… Antidegradation – statewide Antidegradation – statewide

rulemaking processrulemaking process Trying to lead by example to Trying to lead by example to

others throughout the state to others throughout the state to have this type of open dialogue have this type of open dialogue on issueson issues

More issues are bound More issues are bound to arise…to arise… Northwest Indiana is recognized as the Northwest Indiana is recognized as the

leader in the state when it comes to leader in the state when it comes to this relationshipthis relationship

The stakeholders involved have had The stakeholders involved have had relationships for many years….in some relationships for many years….in some cases – decades!cases – decades!

New stakeholders are showing up – we New stakeholders are showing up – we look forward to future dialogues with look forward to future dialogues with themthem

Final thought….Final thought….

There may be difficult times…I There may be difficult times…I can’t promise there won’t be can’t promise there won’t be problemsproblems

But the end result can be very But the end result can be very rewardingrewarding

Good luck!Good luck!