Ad-Hoc Industry Natural Resource Management Group

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Highlights In the US - We are launching Multi-Stakeholder Working Groups on Climate, PFAS, Emergency Response, involving key government, academic, professional, corporate and other groups in an effort to broaden discussion and sharing of unique work products and approaches to these complex issues. In the US - Follow up actions associated with the Group’s 2022 Natural Resources Symposium, “How Recent Events Have Affected Natural Resources Law and Policy and Highlighted the Importance of Public/Private Collaborations to Advance Shared Objectives” -- held in collaboration with The George Washington University Law School, Environmental Law Institute, and others on September 15-16, 2022 in Washington, DC -- are now underway. The Symposium constitutes a unique multi-stakeholder examination of US and worldwide natural resource related law, policy and practice with a strong focus on innovative and cutting-edge solutions. See the Symposium website for updates. In the EU - The Group submitted comments on 3 August 2022 in response to the Commission’s “Open public consultation on the evaluation of the Environmental Liability Directive (Directive 2004/35/CE) (ELD)” and will participate in a related multistakeholder workshop in November. It is the Group’s general position that the ELD needs more time to play out in actual practice before changes are made. The Group continues to provide leadership within the operator community concerning the ELD and a copy of its submission including questionnaire response and supplemental commentary covering a variety of issues is available upon request. . Input Provided to US and EU Governments Pursuant to Sound Policy and Practice - The Group has a long history of providing formal comments and other input to governmental bodies on regulations, policies and other proposals. Over the years, this has included input to the US Departments of the Interior and Commerce (NOAA) and EPA; several States; the European Commission; the European Parliament; the United Nations and others. Ongoing Activities Regulatory and Other Reforms - The Group is leading the way within industry - and working with stakeholders outside of industry as well - on possible federal regulatory and other reforms which can improve current practice related to natural resource liabilities and opportunities. Working Groups on more closely coordinating remediation and emergency response with and restoration, the PFAS/NRD interface, climate change effects and more are among the many ongoing issues being examined in order to identify best practices leading to earlier settlements when possible and advise companies accordingly. Novel Approaches - The Group is continually exploring ways to innovate and expand new approaches to managing, optimizing and resolving natural resource issues, notably relative to climate effects, restoration banks, merging restoration/remediation activity, regional solutions and much more. Contact us for further details or to get involved. Business/Industry Surveys - The Group is issuing targeted surveys related to natural resource liability practice in the US and Europe to better hone in on what companies need most and related best practices. Plans are underway to expand these surveys to other locations around the globe in 2022 - 23. International Advisory Committee - In recognition of global synergies in natural resource related practice, the Group has designated an International Advisory Committee comprised of public and private sector experts in variety of disciplines to provide insight on current state-of-the-art and serve as a sounding board for developing practices.

Who We Are

Now in its 35th year, the Ad-Hoc Industry Natural Resource Management Group ("Group" for short), is a large coalition of multinational multi-sector companies uniquely focused on the interface between natural resources (air, water, species, land) and industrial, energy and transportation activities.

The Group supports its Member Companies on site-specific, region-specific, corporate-wide and worldwide stages; facilitates coordination of industry-wide positions; and works within industry and between industry and government and other stakeholders to advance the state-of-the-art and build best practices pursuant to a reasonable, balanced and predictable practice arena.

There is no group that does what we do - anywhere. We have a number of working groups at present that are preparing work products that have the potential to change the dynamic for companies and other stakeholders alike.

The Group's purview includes natural resource liability regimes in the US, Europe and elsewhere related to oil spills, hazardous waste sites, transportation and industrial related accidents, as well as a host of allied issues: climate change, emergency response, remediation, restoration, conservation, biodiversity and more... Superfund, Clean Water Act, Oil Pollution Act, analogous state laws in the US; Environmental Liability Directive and allied Directives in Europe and analogous laws in the 27 member states; and other initiatives and agreements globally.

We also have an Affiliates program of law firms, consulting firms, and other practitioners that enrich the value of the program for our members with their specialized expertise.

Who Is In the Group

Companies that are - dealing with legacy sites; transporting oil or hazardous waste by rail, pipeline or vessel; engaging in natural resource extraction operations; operating near Natura 2000 protected areas; remediating Superfund, sediments and similar sites; have operations that could result in an oil spill or a release of a hazardous substance in proximity to a natural resource; dealing with the impact of climate change on natural resources; are concerned with CSR and corporate positioning relative to local communities; looking to build and sustain natural capital; looking for new and innovative ways to manage natural resource liabilities and opportunities including regional approaches, state of the art methodologies, global settlements of issues, green supply chain protocols and more - all greatly benefit from being a member company of this one of a kind Group.

The Group was founded in 1988 and its original founders included GE, 3M, Phelps Dodge (now Freeport McMoRan); United States Steel, ARCO (now BP); and Asarco. Our core group of members has greatly grown over the years and a large number of the world's largest companies in every key sector have participated.

How Our Resources Help Companies

We provide unique value to companies in diverse sectors having US, European or worldwide operations that develop, utilize or affect natural resources. We save our member companies time and money, help preserve and enhance reputation, and provide tools to ensure successful process and outcomes (including best practices not found elsewhere), all of which helps our members navigate a complex, highly site-specific and rapidly changing landscape.

Our extensive legal, technical and cross-discipline resources, base of knowledge and experience, track record, ongoing collaborations and connections are second to none in helping member companies navigate the complex of strategy options in site-specific situations and in setting corporate-wide policies and protocols.

Issues that Currently Have Our Attention

2023 is a year of continued change and opportunity to shape the ways businesses approach management of natural resource issues and assets and we have never been as busy.

The Group is engaged in continuing dialogue and practice exchange within the broad business/industrial community and with a wide array of governmental authorities and other stakeholders in a continuing effort to shape policies and practices on natural resource liability regimes and many related matters that are well founded in law and science and are cost-effective but permit maximum innovation and flexibility too.

How the Group Operates

The Group supports its member companies by making available continually updated information and resources (all in one place and nowhere else to be found), on a wide array of issues implicit in the natural resource/business interface. The Group has an extensive one of a kind database of precedents, contacts, projects, cost information, published and unpublished literature, legal defenses, settlement and methodological approaches, and more - and it alone is the reason that some companies are members of this Group. It saves time and money and ensures that companies are not having to start from scratch or reinvent the wheel. Group members are building on an extensive base of practical knowledge and experience and as such, jump starting the process to address specific corporate or site/project needs and goals.

The Group works to ensure sound policies and practices worldwide inclusive of regulations, guidance, and non-regulatory approaches to the natural resource/business interface via direct comments, white papers and seminal multi-stakeholder meetings convened to address natural resource-related best practices. In addition to unparalleled experience and expertise on the natural resource damage liability laws of the United States and the related Directives of Europe (notably the Environmental Liability Directive) and regimes of other nations worldwide, we are also focused on a wide array of "side issues" - financial security, climate change, water and groundwater, endangered species, remediation, contaminated sediments, emergency response, crisis management, biodiversity and more.

This is How You Can Engage With Us

If you are a company: Check us out! Contact us at info@nrdonline.org to obtain information on membership features and benefits and associated pricing. Please note that we are happy to customize participation consistent with interests and available time and budget as needed.

If you are a law firm, consulting firm or individual discipline specialist: Look how we can add value to the services you provide to clients! Contact us at info@nrdonline.org to obtain information on our robust Affiliates program.

We partner with a wide spectrum of entities and individuals in both public and private sectors worldwide so please be in touch to explore possible collaborations or to propose a fresh initiative aligned with our mission.

Contact us for listings of our many accomplishments - seminal documents, seminal meetings, seminal liaisons with governmental authorities, universities and more.

We invite you to learn more! Contact us today.


An example of one of our US-based Member Companies	An example of one of our US Affiliates	An example of one of our Partners in Government

An example of one of our EU-based Member Companies	An example of one of our EU Affiliates	An example of one of our Partners in Industry