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DEVON NEARY: My
name is Devon Neary,

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I'm the Community Outreach
Manager here at the CMA.

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As you all know our
members across the country

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face constant opposition
from environmental groups.

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I'm here today to
propose some solutions

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for working with these groups
[AUDIO OUT] against them.

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Our most recent conflict
involved an environmental group

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trying to block the expansion
of our southwest computer chip

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factory on the grounds
that pollution is causing

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a spike in local cancer rates.

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So what should our goal be
in designing a working plan

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with this environmental group?

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I propose a strategy that is
different from how the CMA

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usually conducts business.

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I propose we sit down in
remediated negotiations

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with the environmental
groups and explain

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our side of the
issue, allow them

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to explain their
side of the issue,

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and find a consensus
for moving forward

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that enables both
sides to achieve

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their long-term aims given
the constraints of reality.

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We want to open up a space
to collaborate and brainstorm

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nonbinding options
as a means of moving

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towards a binding agreement.

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Why should this be our goal?

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Environmental groups
pressure us and attempt

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to block us at our sites
throughout the country.

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These disputes have not improved
over the last few decades,

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and it's time for a new approach
to make sure our projects

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progress according to time
and financial constraints.

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My research on this
issue supports the idea

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that a consensus-building
approach can improve

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outcomes for all parties.

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Just for a little
bit of context,

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in reality, our partners in
the environmental organization

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do not have a lot of
legal ground to stand on.

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Proving the cause of a specific
cancer in a specific individual

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and tying it to a specific
chemical that came out

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of our chip plant
on a specific day

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is very challenging and
costly in a courtroom.

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We can gently remind
environmentalists

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that court is expensive,
adversarial, and often drawn

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out.

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Ultimately, our funding
and legal capabilities

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will defeat theirs.

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In addition, in times
of economic duress

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and uncertainty,
local authorities

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are going to make way
for our great industry

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to create jobs and capital.

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So in some sense,
there's no need for us

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to engage with the
environmentalists.

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Without the negotiation,
we'll probably

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still get our expansion.

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However, what I
want to point out

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is that we can do better than
that through the negotiation.

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We can prove our relationships
with environmentalists,

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and we can make it easier and
less costly to do business

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in the future.

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I know many of you probably have
some hesitations about this.

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Perhaps you feel a
fear of the unknown,

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a fear that the
process will fail

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or a fear that the negotiation
will be slow and costly.

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But remember we're investing
for long-term gains

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in our relationships with
surrounding communities.

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I understand this is atypical
for our powerful industry

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and there will be challenges.

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As the views of the CMA and
the views of the environmental

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groups differ radically.

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The environmentalists may not be
ready or willing to negotiate.

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They may be intent
on filing a lawsuit,

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or they could draw
out the negotiations

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in a disruptive manner.

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Their ultimate
goal would probably

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be to eliminate our plant, but
this is not a realistic demand.

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Our plant is already
there and operating well,

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so eliminating the
potential carcinogens

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is not a feasible
option for them.

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So what is the next best
option for the community?

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Our strategy is
to think in terms

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of what we can offer them to
appease some of their concerns

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without giving up
anything precious to us.

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Do they need health
clinics in their community?

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Do they want a community
buyout so they can relocate?

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Would they like a new
nature preserve or funding

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for education?

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For our part our members
have to decide away

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from the table, how much
we are willing to give

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to smooth out these
relationships and leverage

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these concessions
in negotiations.

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We need to find out what
people on both sides

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are really willing to live with.

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We can begin by addressing
their environmental concerns,

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talking about issues
of leaks, accidents,

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the increased rates of cancer
that they're observing.

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How can we prove
to them that we are

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in compliance with regulations
and protecting the abutting

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communities?

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We can also leverage what we
do well for the community.

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We create jobs, we spur
economic development,

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we make philanthropic
donations, provide job training.

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My job is to get people excited
about chemical manufacturing

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and all the wonderful
things we do for the country

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and for the world.

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The chips manufacturing
plant in question,

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while maybe causing
some pollution,

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is manufacturing
computer chips used

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in a wide range of
industries including

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defense, medical research,
education, and so on.

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We believe that if residents
realize the contribution we

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have in their community
and for the country,

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they'll be more amenable
to negotiating with us.

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So you want to focus
on two principles.

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You want to focus on maintaining
relationships throughout.

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And We want to focus
on mutual gains.

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So we'll follow a process
based on a research

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consensus-building approach.

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When we are ready to negotiate
and the environmentalist

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express that they
are ready, first we

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will convene and assign roles.

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For example, we need
to identify a mediator.

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The mediator will schedule
and facilitate the meetings,

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consult privately with groups
and push us to build consensus.

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We also want to focus on
group problem solving.

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How can we create
value as a group?

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By brainstorming
different options together

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based on our interests
and being creative,

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we can present
alternative designs.

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We can expand the means of
dealing with externalities

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and try to create different
packages of benefits

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we can offer the community.

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Once we have created value,
we can talk about ways

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to distribute value to
implement these goals

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and to hold parties accountable
for their commitments.

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So just to review the
benefits of engaging

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in a successful negotiation
for our company.

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It's an opportunity to educate
the community about our work

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and our constraints to gain
some flexibility in when

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and how requirements are
met and to smooth out

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these longstanding
and disruptive

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and conflicts with
environmentalists.

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With the
environmentalists, they can

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achieve better environmental
gains, reap added value,

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and enforce stronger business
practices in their community

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all at a lower cost.

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Thank you.