I created this website  to discuss real life examples of why environmental mediation really works.  It is not a “how to” site.  There are thousands of those out there.  It’s more of a “why” or, more accurately, a “why not” site.  It is focused particularly on why environmental mediation fits so well into and is consistent with the aims of maintaining and cleaning up our environment, our waters, air and soil.

There is another reason. Over the last 25 years it has become apparent to me that there is much more extensive use of mediation to resolve environmental cases on the West Coast, particularly in California, than in other parts of the country.  I’ve seen this first hand, as my mediation practice has grown national in scope, and yet the environmental cases I handle remain heavily concentrated in California.  I’m not sure what accounts for this disparity.  Environmental disputes are similar, no matter where the pollution or groundwater contamination may happen to occur; the governing laws are similar and so is the regulatory framework.  To my way of thinking, then, mediation could prove equally beneficial for environmental lawyers based in New York, Washington and Chicago as well those working on the West Coast.  To the extent that lack of awareness and prior experience is a contributing factor in explaining why California remains so much more advanced in the use of environmental mediation, I hope this website will serve to ameliorate those deficits.   [Read more…]