ELP News: Activity Fund Updates
"Canyon Leaping" Workshop in Fort Valley, GA
 J. Kyle Bryant, ELP Fellow 2002-2004,
The goal for my ELP Activity Fund project was to bring a variety of stakeholders in Fort Valley, Georgia together to reach consensus on the future of their town's plans for redevelopment. Fort Valley lies about 100 miles south of Atlanta in a productive agricultural region. The city is rich in history, including being home to Fort Valley State University (FVSU), a 4-year, Historically Black, Land Grant Institution that was founded by former slaves in 1895. However, the community has been severely affected by environmental issues created by the Woolfolk Chemical Works site. In addition, the city's potable water supply system is being threatened by the presence of over 48 Chemicals of Concern in the soils and groundwater.
In approximately 1986, EPA began investigations into the release or potential release of hazardous substances at the Woolfolk facility. The site was added to the National Priorities List in August 1990. Several remedial and redevelopment projects have been completed; yet Woolfolk ranks as one of the most contaminated sites in the entire country. That's saying something for a town of just under 10,000 people.
During the early days of the Woolfolk Superfund process, a lack of communication with the community created distrust that led to the perception that the entire city is contaminated and the health of Fort Valley citizens is compromised. Citizens groups, including the Woolfolk Citizens Response Group (WCRG), a local Environmental Justice organization, are very active in identifying and addressing environmental issues as well as potential threats to the health of the community. The Woolfolk Alliance Group, consisting of representatives from local and county government and businesses, private citizens, community groups, and state and federal government, was established in January 1998 to provide a forum to discuss cleanup issues at the Woolfolk site.
Although the Alliance Group has accomplished much in disseminating information to the community, there is still a great deal of concern about the condition of properties beyond the Superfund site boundary, particularly in light of the threat of contamination to the water supply. The Alliance Group has attempted to reach consensus on Brownfields redevelopment goals, but has been unsuccessful, to date.
My Activity Fund project sought to complement Fort Valley's plans to develop a comprehensive program to inventory, assess, clean up and reuse Brownfields sites. I aimed to document, for the first time, the opinions and desires of all of the key stakeholders in Fort Valley regarding redevelopment issues, using a state-of-the-art, technology infused facilitation process called "Canyon Leaping." Canyon Leaping allows a diverse group of stakeholders to cover lots of ground, gather information, prioritize objectives and establish common values and vision within a small amount of time.
In many stakeholder alliances, the representatives with the most commanding personalities or the most resources often determine the direction of the group. As a result, there have been many "Meetings after Meetings" in which various stakeholders in Fort Valley either felt intimidated or uncomfortable making statements or suggestions that may be challenged.
The use of collaborative technologies is very helpful in these situations. At a Canyon Leaping workshop, each stakeholder sits in front of a laptop at the table. As the facilitator poses questions, the participants type their responses on their keyboards. Every entry is instantly displayed on a projection screen for all to see - without assigning any identifiers to the participants.
In December 2002, with ELP support, I organized a one-day Visioning and Planning Workshop in Fort Valley with ten community stakeholders, representing business, local government, environmental justice, academic and community interests. The goal was to use Canyon Leaping technology to solicit their thoughts on proposed redevelopment activities at the Woolfolk Chemical Works Superfund Site. Numerous ideas had surfaced: business leaders wanted the site to be used for commercial and retail space, while community residents desired recreational facilities. Other interests, aligned with the University, saw the site as having potential for a pilot Soil and Hydrology Research Center. Lastly, many citizens weren't knowledgeable enough about the site, nor its history, to offer a preference for redevelopment.
The Canyon Leaping process clearly enabled workshop participants to state their true feelings. Through utilizing technology-induced facilitation, stakeholders were no longer bound by political and/or social posturing. Once participants got comfortable with the process and felt that their anonymity was secure, they really began to open up.
As an environmental consultant, I have been actively involved with the Alliance Group in Fort Valley since its inception. I see clear areas for improvement in effectiveness, efficiency and greater inclusion in the ongoing environmental and redevelopment efforts there. This project represented the essence of my desire to integrate technology into the environmental justice movement. The digital divide is ever widening, especially in rural and minority communities. I'm certain that "Canyon Leaping" technology can enhance the planning process in Fort Valley, especially given the diverse perspectives of stakeholders. Because this technology allows participants to communicate freely and without fear, simultaneously, I was very interested to see what issues came to the surface that may have been previously suppressed Much of this information will be helpful in exposing barriers to future collaboration and community involvement on redevelopment goals and citywide sustainability.
Looking forward, I would like to assist FVSU in seeking funding to purchase this technology and establish a Collaborative Decision Support Center on campus. This Center would not only support the citizens of Fort Valley, but the entire Middle Georgia region and, perhaps, the state.
J. Kyle Bryant is director of Geographic Information Systems and sustainable development at R&D Environmental Consultants, Inc.
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