Program Three
Thursday, May 22, 1997

Partnerships and Technology Innovation Kansa C/D


    82

DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS AMONG UNIVERSITIES, INDUSTRY, AND THE STATE

 
D.R. Neuman, Reclamation Research Unit, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717 In the past 25 years environmental laws and regulations have been written and enforced. This legislation may be supported by scientific information that ranges from accurate to inadequate, or in some cases, incorrect. Litigation among extractive industries, responsible parties, regulatory agencies, and environmental advocacy groups has become commonplace.

The public value of natural resource preservation and restoration, and the economic desirability of development of those same resources often collide. In the absence of mutually agreeable solutions, conflict prevails. Legislation and litigation are the two main triggers that have kindled interest in land rehabilitation and restoration issues.

Montana's upper Clark Fork River Basin contains several federal Superfund sites as a result of historic mining, processing, and smelting of metals. The state of Montana sued Atlantic Richfield Company for damages to the natural resources in the basin. In this political and social climate a partnership among the Environmental Protection Agency, Montana's Department of Environmental Quality, Atlantic Richfield Company, and the Reclamation Research Unit at Montana State University was established.

The purpose of this cooperative relationship was to develop phytostabilization methods for reclaiming smelter tailings and metals-contaminated soils near the Anaconda Smelter Superfund Site. Key elements in this partnership included the following: mutual goals, desire to form a partnership, willingness to communicate and negotiate so that established goals could be achieved, ability to develop written agreements, willingness to accept results of the research, and mutual trust.

The development and dissemination of information provided a foundation for improved understanding and communication among these groups. The results of unbiased, applied environmental research have been welcomed by all parties and will be implemented as part of the remediation of several of the sites in the basin. Successes foster the infrastructure for future partnerships among university research centers, private industry, and governmental regulatory agencies.

Key words: research, partnerships, reclamation



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Tuesday, May 20, 1997

Metals Kansa A

Remediation of Munitions Compounds Kansa B

Analytical Methods Kansa C/D

General Topics Kansa B


Wednesday, May 21, 1997

Metals Kansa A

Zero-Valent Metals Kansa A

Remediation Kansa A

Vegetation-based Remediation Kansa B

Partnerships & Innovative Technologies Kansa C/D

Nonaqueous Phase Liquids Kansa C/D


Thursday, May 22, 1997

Biofilms & Barriers Kansa A

Bioremediation Kansa B

Partnerships & Technology Innovations Kansa C/D

Remediation Kansa C/D


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