Matt Low has assisted federal and state governments and worked with a number of NGOs and private sector interests to convene, facilitate, mediate and fashion agreements among a wide range of diverse stakeholders.

 

Policy Development and Dispute Resolution

 

National Commission on Air Quality Working Groups

• As Chief of the Policy Section for the National Commission on Air Quality, a Congressionally authorized Commission, convened and facilitated working groups in five study areas around the country over a two year period to evaluate ways in the Clean Air Act could be improved. The studies and working groups focused, in part, on prevention of significant deterioration and new source review programs, technology forcing, compliance with ambient air quality standards, and federal/state relationships.
  

 

Acid Rain Policy Dialogue

• Served as convenor, facilitator mediator and policy advisor for seven (7) year policy dialogue on acid rain legislative options. Participants in the Ad-Hoc Committee on Acid Rain (AHARC) included representatives of the coal, utility, metals, automotive and other heavy industries, environmental groups, coal miner unions, local communities in coal producing regions, environmental groups, states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Ohio, state utility regulatory officials, EPA, DOE, and congressional staff. Among other issues, AHARC addressed emerging clean coal technologies and the way in which certain incentives would likely bring about greater use of such technologies. Initiatives developed formed the foundation for revisions to the 1990 Clean Air Act.

Kentucky/TVA Negotiations

• Served as advisor in negotiations between Kentucky and TVA concerning TVA's proposed acid rain compliance plan. Negotiations were successful in gaining TVA’s commitment to continue using Kentucky high sulfur coal, while providing TVA with ways to incorporate clean coal technologies and low-cost options (including use of emissions allowances) for complying with 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments.
  

 

American Bar Association Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Dialogue

• Convened and facilitated a dialogue on options for developing an emissions trading framework for implementing the Kyoto Protocol. The purpose of the dialogue was to assist in the continued evolution of an emissions trading system being developed pursuant to the Kyoto Protocol and in an effort to contribute meaningfully to the resolution of the many difficult unresolved issues that were then being negotiated at the Sixth Conference of the Parties (COP 6) in November 2000. Dialogue participants included EPA, Department of State, Department of Energy, White House, World Bank, Trading Brokers, Industrial Interests, Research Institutions, and Environmental Interests. The purpose of the dialogue was to develop consensus on a United States position at negotiating sessions on implementing mechanisms under the Protocol.
• Final report, showing areas of agreement and highlighting various issues and points of view, was presented during the international deliberations on the Kyoto Protocol in November 2000.

 

Global Warming Policy Dialogue

• Under a grant from DuPont, convened and facilitated one-year dialogue among industry officials and environmentalists, the objective of which was to assist industry representatives in development of short-term action plan to stabilize or reduce emissions of carbon dioxide.
  

 

High Level Waste Repository Licensing Support System Negotiated Rulemaking

• Served as convenor, facilitator, and co-mediator on successful two-year FACA negotiated rulemaking to develop Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations for licensing high level waste repository. Parties included states of Texas, Nevada and Washington, local governments, Indian tribes, NRC, DOE, nuclear power industry, and environmental groups
  

 

Georgia Site Response Act Negotiations

• Under Georgia’s equivalent of FACA, convened, facilitated and mediated negotiations between the Georgia, Environmental Protection Division, Commercial and Industrial Interests, Environmental and Community Activists and Environmental Justice Advocates on changes to the Georgia Site Response Act program and regulations. Meetings and negotiations were held over the course of one year and resulted in agreements on a proposed set of regulatory amendments, which ultimately were adopted.
  

 

EPA Safe Drinking Water -- Health Assessment Policy Dialogue

• Facilitated an EPA-sponsored dialogue for diverse interests on options for revising risk assessment methodologies and setting MCL’s under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
  

 

Kentucky Solid Waste Legislation

• Authored Kentucky Solid Waste Legislation and served as a mediator on behalf of Governor of Kentucky in year-long negotiations between General Assembly, Department of the Environment and Natural Resources, County officials, environmental groups, solid waste industry and other major industry representatives. The final bill enacted based on agreement of all parties.
  

 

Asbestos in Public and Commercial Buildings Policy Dialogue

• Convened and served as lead mediator and facilitator of two year FACA multi-interest EPA policy dialogue to examine options for addressing asbestos in public and commercial buildings. Participants included EPA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, unions, asbestos manufacturers, realty interests, asbestos management experts, health scientists, and environmental groups.
  

 

Toxic Release Inventory

• Served as convenor and facilitator for EPA FACA multi-interest policy dialogue to examine issues relating to industry reporting of toxic releases. The law required state and local governments to participate in collection and dissemination of toxic release reports and EPA and states were interested in predicting potential citizen reaction to the reports and developing ways for making the information more understandable. Participants included major industry, state and local government officials, national and local environmental groups, health scientists, and EPA. The group developed recommendations for issuing information on various toxics and for communicating the potential risks associated with release
  

 

National Governors' Association Waste Capacity Assurance Project

• Served as legal advisor and mediator for group of 20 state officials in two year process to develop consensus recommendations for waste capacity assurance guidelines. Title III of SARA requires states to submit capacity assurance plans to EPA assuring that each state has identified sufficient capacity to treat or dispose of the hazardous waste it is expected to generate for the next 20 years. The working group developed consensus guidelines for developing interstate agreements and addressing other issues relating to interstate shipments of hazardous waste as a way of meeting the capacity assurance requirement.