Getting Prepared-Part Two

• Analyzing issues

• Preparing Analysis

• Defending Your Proposal

• Getting help

Donald Parks18Oct15

Agenda

• Issue Analyses– Examples

• Analysis Approach• Where is the Information?• Assembling the documentation

– Briefing Books• Resources to Help

Issue Analysis

First Consideration:• History can give clues to potential problem areas• Issues can side track or doom your proposal• Wrong/misleading statements can destroy your credibility• Do not allow campaign to be surprised

Some Issues will drive the campaign?

First Cut at Evaluation:• Substantive or philosophical?• Needs research?• Answered by 1-3 sentences?• Answers compelling?• Is deeper analysis required?

Issue Analysis (continued)

Must know specifications of your proposal:

Examples:• Underlying management plan direction and acreage• Non-federal ownerships

– Who owns & owner objectives– Location & acreage

• Miles of trails & usage – in & near proposal

• Roads analyses inside & outside proposal– Open/closed/decommissioned

• Implications for commodity outputs (grazing, timber, minerals)• Plans for future development• Location of each non-conforming use

Issue Analysis (continued)

Briefing papers can address multiple issues

Example titles:Conservation History of Alpine Lakes 1946-2013Implications for:

– Road/Trail Construction & Access– Adjacent Stakeholders (to proposal)– Energy Development– Recreational Use– Logging, Mining Commodity Production

Addressed Issues (during campaign)Responses to Issues Raised by USFS Congressional TestimonyStakeholder Consultation with Upper Snoqualmie Valley Elk Management GroupSurvey of Potential Opponents to Alpine Lakes Wilderness & Additions and Wild Pratt River Act

Issue Analysis (continued)

Examples where deeper Analyses maybe needed

Historic mining and explorationTimber supply analysesValue of recreation to local economiesChanges to recreation opportunitiesVitality of local economiesProposal impacts to Local jobs and Income

Analysis ApproachEstablish ‘Baseline’ when assessing implications of output changes• Establish current outputs before proposal implemented

– Metrics: acres of land; cows; log volumes; jobs

Impact Analyses• Estimate outputs with proposal implemented• Estimate change between current (baseline) & proposal

– Output change is “impact” of interest

Use of Context• Compare “impacts” from proposal w/several geographies (%)

– NF level; county or counties; regional outputs• Think about output changes from other causes• Use analyses by non-interested parties

Analysis Approach (continued)

Guidance:

• Information may change or evolve

• Be conservative in your analyses – Scrutinize outputs– Never ‘lowball’ estimates of impact

• Cite sources liberally

• Protect your credibility as if you had none!

Issue Analysis--Example

Issue Analysis--ExampleAlpine Lakes Wilderness Additions

Land Allocations, 8th Congressional District

71.6%

0.1%

1.5%

0.5%

14.4%

6.0% 6.0%

Matrix-unproductive

Matrix-productive forest land

LSR-late successional reseves

AW-administrative withdrawls

LSOG & undefined allocations

WA State DNR

Cave Ridge donation

Source: Core GIS LLC, Matt Stevenson and USFS GIS Data 19-Mar-09

Total Area: 22,100 acres

[1]

[1]-Matrix-unproductive: The portion of matrix is made up of non-forest land, lands with unstable soils, and lands within NW Forest Plan Reserves[2] Matrix-productive forest land: Forested acres that contribute to probable sale quantity (PSQ)

[2]

Issue Analysis (continued)

Issue Analysis (continued)

Issue Analysis (continued)

Source: WA Labor Market & Economic Analysis Branch data, 9Oct15

Where to Find Needed Information?Land management agencies:• Current/historic planning documents• Historic project documentations (EA’s, EIS’s, other)

Land management research offices• Ecosystem studies, scientific reports,…• Example: USFS Research Stations (WA-OR Region, Portland)

Economic Data from State Employment Agencies• Employment reports; special county level studies, special

industry sector studies• Example: WA State Labor Market & Economic Analyses Branch

Federal Agency Data• Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analyses,

Bureau of the Census, Department Agriculture,…..

Where to Find Needed Information?(continued)

Non-Governmental Sources:• Headwaters Economics

– Many reports available on-line– Special tools for unique reports, no learning curve!– See: Headwaters Economics newsletter@

headwaterseconomics.org

• ECONorthwest (Eugene, OR)

• Universities (U of Oregon for example)

Assembling Documentation

Important Considerations• Who are customers?

– Campaign management team– Congressional Champions– Certain pieces of info for a few others? Be selective– Distribution very limited

• Who must not have this Briefing Book info?– Federal Management Agencies– Media– Opposition

• How to Assemble Information?– Create a ‘briefing book’– Example to follow

Assembling Documentation (continued)

Example Briefing Book Table of Contents

•Legislative Information–Senate Bill Text

–House Bill Text

–Legislative Proposal Map (USFS)

–Legislative Proposal Map (CoreGIS)

•Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Values–Wilderness Additions Fact Sheet

–Wild & Scenic River Fact Sheet

–General Wilderness Q&A

–General Wild & Scenic River Q&A

–Photo Options

Assembling Proposal Descriptions(continued)

•Outreach Summary–Stakeholder Consultation Document-all contacts

–Endorsement List

–Letters of Support•Every public official, state/local who endorsed•Every Conservation/Recreation Group who endorsed•Hunting & Fishing Organizations who endorsed•Religious Leaders who endorsed•Recreation Industry who endorsed•Mountains To Sound Greenway•Emerging Rivers Local Business Letter•Every Local Business who endorsed•Every Land Conservancy that endorsed•Stakeholder Support Letter (5/5/11)

–Testimonials

Assembling Proposal Descriptions (continued) •Issues of Potential Interest

–Addressed Issues Fact Sheet

–Potential Implications for Forest & Wildlife Management• Stakeholder Consultation with USVEMG

–Potential Implications for Adjacent Stakeholders•Initial Goldmyer Letter•Coalition Response Document to Initial Goldmyer Letter

–Potential Implications for Recreational Use

–Potential Implications for Road & Trails Construction and Access

–Potential Implications for Logging Mining & Commodity Production•ALPS Economic Impact Assessment 011908•Background on Past Mining Activity & Mineral Potential for the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions•Mining Claim Map•Mining Fact Sheet

–Potential Implications for Energy Development

–Remnants of Historic Human Activities

–Potential Implications on Flood Management

Assembling Proposal Descriptions(continued)

•Media Coverage–02/13/2013 - SnoValley Star "Alpine Lakes Bill reintroduced in U.S. Congress"

–02/05/2013 - Seattle Times, LETTER (Meg Town), "Alpine Lakes Should be Expanded”

(every local print or electronic media story listed)

Why Prepare Detailed Boundary Definitions?•Forces attention to detail•Builds credibility•Increases potential for Champions to use our map when they introduce legislation•And, when bill passes…..

(B) MAP AND DESCRIPTION-

(i) IN GENERAL- As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map and a legal description of the land designated as wilderness by paragraph (1) with—

(I) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives; and

(II) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.

(ii) FORCE OF LAW- A map and legal description filed under clause (i) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this section, except that the Secretary may correct minor errors in the map and legal description.

• Agency makes corrections in their favour

Club Resources & Other?

Internally:Wildlands Grass-Roots Network TeamOrganizing DepartmentClubhouse websiteGrass-Roots Network websitesOur Wild America Leadership TeamLocal Activists with experienceOther Club staff with experience

Externally:Other NGO’s with lands & waters experienceRetired Agency personnelOther retired specialists

Questions?

Donald Parks18Oct15