Land Conservation and Restoration
Smart Growth and Sustainability
Water Resources
Program Management and Analysis
Land Conservation and Restoration
Conservation Conveyance
The Conservation Conveyance Program is the work that launched our firm under a multi-year, multi-million dollar initiative. We began by executing of a contract for the Departments of the Army and Navy to analyze legislative, technical, and economic community factors in the BRAC process. We ultimately developed a new conveyance authority for disposal of BRAC sites with high ecosystem values through federal legislation. Our work, therefore, enabled the Department of Defense to dispose of some of its most difficult BRAC sites while preserving those lands for long-term conservation. Sanctioned under Title 10 of the US Code Section 2694a, "Conveyance of Surplus Real Property for Natural Resource Conservation", this unique invention of Marstel-Day's President, Rebecca Rubin, became federal law in 2002. The statute allows the Department of Defense (DoD) to convey land to a state or local agency or nonprofit conservator, with the right for the transferee to reconvey it to another qualified entity, subject to DoD approval of the transferee and the terms of transfer. Within five years of its passage, this new legislative authority had been used to convey a staggering 23 percent of all BRAC-designated lands. Since 2002 it has expeditiously facilitated the successful cleanup and conservation of some 80,000 acres of natural lands in perpetuity. These ecologically-valuable lands frequently contain intact ecosystems whose preservation will continue to play an integral role in sustaining planetary biodiversity with extensive public benefits. At the same time, as BRAC designated lands needlessly drain tax dollars while awaiting transfer, the conservation conveyance also responds to recent Congressional pressures on the armed forces to increase efficiency by divesting them- selves of surplus properties.
Net Environmental Benefits Assessment
Across the nation, proposed clean-up actions may threaten endangered species and essential habitat upon which they rely. Determining how to implement remedial actions that meet human health and safety concerns while preserving significant natural resources is a significant policy complication and driver. Marstel-Day uses an analytical methodology called the Net Environmental Benefit Assessment or NEBA to assist in developing cleanup approaches that provide the greatest natural resource benefits while appropriately managing site risks. Marstel-Day evaluates the potential of currently available ecological and economic benefit metrics to assist such clients as the US EPA in demonstrating the ecological benefits of site cleanup in some cases, and in preserving those benefits despite cleanup in others. We assess the pre- and post- cleanup data associated with the sites to quantify the net ecosystem service benefits associated with the range of final remedies that could be selected for site restoration. Our evaluation provides a clear comparison of each selected metric's ability to clarify ecological and economic tradeoffs associated with alternative scenarios. As a result, decision-makers and regulators are better equipped to make remedial selections that protect both health and human safety as well as environmental resources such as wetlands and riverine ecosystems upon which many threatened and endangered species rely for their survival.
Forest Services
Forests ecosystems generate an enormous wealth of ecosystem services around the globe. In addition to the essential ecological, biological, and ecosystem benefits, forests and their "green infrastructure" services also provide economic, health, social, and cultural Partner benefits to people, whether or not they live near the forest resource itself. With increasing pressures from population growth, urbanization, and economic expansion, the demands on forest resources continue to grow. Coupled with the challenges of global climate change, the threat to forest integrity and associated ecosystem services is immediate. Marstel-Day is finding ways to protect and maintain the forest ecosystem benefits in the context of changing economies and societies. Marstel-Day's Forest Program offers forward-looking, innovative approaches to forest resource conservation and management. We provide strategic and technical expertise to help clients identify problems, frame issues, and design and facilitate innovative, sustainable, on-the-ground solutions. Our partners and staff offer expertise in: (1) research, workshops, and dialogue to identify and contextualize issues, competing interests, and system interdependencies; (2) environmental, economic, and social analysis and impact assessment of forest-related policies and programs; (3) facilitation and mediation of stakeholder participation to develop consensus; and (4) strategic planning to help stakeholders clarify organizational priorities and investment strategies to ensure maximum efficiency and effectiveness of program initiatives; (5) forest land and open space land use planning, creating conservation-based solutions to complex federal land use and land restoration issues; (6) ecosystem services and climate change impacts, including socioeconomic assessment of loss of forest ecosystem services, and (7) international forest policy, including working with stakeholders to develop forest trade and investment approaches in support of sustainable forest environments, economies, and local communities.
Encroachment Controls and Compatible Land Use
As development consumes open space across the United States, Marstel-Day is working with several federal and non-federal clients to preserve critical habitat and open space, and to address the impact of land use changes with respect to the client's intended mission. Our primary focus is on controlling encroachment, which involves avoiding or mitigating the gradual loss of a client's mission capabilities because of changes to internal and external land uses. To address these issues, Marstel-Day developed a tool called an "Encroachment Control Plan" (ECP). Originally designed for our clients in the United States Marine Corps, these ECPs analyze a wide array of encroachment impacts and promote land use compatibility by engaging numerous stakeholders - government officials, nonprofit organizations, developers, and others - on the local, regional, and state levels. As part of this encroachment management effort, a Real Estate Acquisition Strategy (REAS) is developed to as an internal document that ranks the parcels near a base that should be targeted for acquisition to prevent encroachment. A key component of each REAS focuses on encroachment partnering, which is the process of obtaining the real estate agreements between the military services and conservation organizations to protect specific parcels of land near military installations from conversion to developed uses. Marstel-Day is also working with the Air Force to create a service-wide enterprise encroachment management program. In addition to encroachment management and real estate acquisition elements, Marstel-Day is undertaking a comprehensive approach to develop new and to improve existing Air Forces strategies, policies, processes, support tools, training and outreach efforts. While Encroachment Control Plans were originally developed for Department of Defense clients, has been working to extend this capability to other agencies, including the U. S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In addition, encroachment plans are applicable to university campuses, power companies, public safety and civil defense training sites, and a variety of other applications.
National Environmental Policy Act
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) seeks to protect the natural and human environment and to create a systematic, interdisciplinary, and transparent process for all federal entities to follow when proposing funding or permitting actions that may affect the environment. In 2008, Marstel-Day was selected for a $15 million IDIQ services contract to assist in the preparation of numerous Army BRAC NEPA documents. We are assisting the Army in executing it's BRAC NEPA program by working with the Base Realignment and Closure Division (BRACD), Major Commands, Army Reserves, U.S. Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, and installation staff across the nation. Given our expertise in property disposal, Marstel-Day was retained to execute NEPA projects involving closing installations and disposal of excess property. Our work includes environmental impact statements (EISs), environmental assessments (EA), and supporting studies (such as archaeology studies). Marstel-Day is currently preparing several NEPA documents that analyze both realignment and disposal actions for BRAC.
- Marstel-Day is currently preparing two major EISs for closure actions at Fort McPherson, GA, and Fort Monroe, VA.
- Marstel-Day is also preparing disposal and re-use EAs that are either recently completed or in progress include Kansas Army Ammunition Plant, KS; Lonestar Army Ammunition Plant, TX; US Army Garrison, MI (Sebille Manor); Fort Gillem, GA ;Charles E. Kelly Support Center, PA; Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant, CA; Umatilla Chemical Depot, OR.
- Marstel-Day is also executing realignment actions at Fort Eustis and Red River Army Depot, TX.
These documents address the environmental and socioeconomic impact of subsequent decisions and actions resulting from reuse of closed Army installations. Our evaluation includes regional land use compatibility, transportation assessments and network modeling, economic modeling (such as Economic Impact Forecast System modeling), sociological evaluations, environmental justice, air resource compliance and emissions modeling, noise abatement and modeling, biological resource analysis, Section 7 consultation, water resources analysis, water demand modeling, geologic resources, cultural resources, Phase I and II cultural resources investigations, Section 106 consultation, solid and hazardous wastes assessments, and cumulative effects and mitigation. In addition to BRAC issues, these NEPA documents address other changes taking place at Army installations brought on by Army transformation, re-stationing of troops from Europe, and modularity actions. Marstel-Day will also support other civil, military, and federal agency programs under this five-year contract with Mobile. Marstel-Day conducted a legal sufficiency review of the EIS for the National Agro Bio-Defense Facility (NBAF). The proposed NBAF would research high-consequence biological threats involving zoonotic (i.e., transmitted from animals to humans) and foreign animal diseases. Marstel-Day's work included the review of related documents developed by the DHS such as the Site Selection Process (the alternatives screening process), the Decision Process Plan (used to select the final site). The work also included review of related documents prepared by the EIS contractor such as the Scoping Report, and three technical reports; Health and Safety, Understanding Infectious Microorganisms, and Potential Consequences of Pathogen Releases from the Proposed NBAF . The major focus of the work was a complete review of all EIS chapters and sections as they were developed by the EIS contractor to ensure legal sufficiency and environmental compliance. Marstel-Day was tasked with providing advice on technical and legal issues that arose during the EIS process, including those at the scoping meetings. Finally, Marstel-Day staff supported DHS in drafting the Record of Decision for the selected site for NBAF.
Smart Growth and Sustainability
Regional Cooperation
As we apply and adapt the principles of smart growth, the staff at Marstel-Day adeptly navigates the balance between the celebration of an individual community's unique cultural and historical assets with the interdependence of these communities within a broader regional framework. We pride ourselves on the ability to incorporate the needs and expectations of a multitude of stakeholders from private citizens and public officials to military leader, planning professionals and business interests. Marstel-Day provided support to the North Carolina Military Growth Task Force (MGTF), a ground-breaking regional coordination effort among the seven eastern North Carolina counties that host Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Marine Corps Air Station New River, and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. In preparation for the population influx associated with military locational decisions and natural growth, the MGTF retained Marstel-Day to facilitate the proactive planning measures characteristic of the smart growth framework. Our efforts culminated in a Regional Growth Management Plan (RGMP).
Transportation Planning
A robust transportation plan coupled with supportive land use policies can be an effective tool to enrich the quality of life of a community's residents and its neighbors. When this transportation plan is the product of a dialogue between stakeholders it can provide a meaningful course of action for a community. Marstel-Day has proven its capacity to facilitate the creation of such a plan. Marine Corps Base Quantico Transportation Demand Management Plan Marstel-Day conducted an analysis of existing and future transportation options for Marine Corps Base Quantico, fittingly nicknamed the "Crossroads of the Marine Corps." The study integrates transportation, land use, and energy with the base mission in order to reduce area congestion, improve quality of life and air quality, enhance community working collaboratively with other federal, state and local agencies to improve land use planning and coordination, to avoid duplication of programs, to promote working relationships among diverse land use stakeholders, and sustain the base's ability to execute its mission. Bisected by the Interstate 95 corridor and located 36 miles south of Washington, DC the installation faces many of traffic congestion issues characteristic of the Washington Metropolitan Area. Other transportation issues, however, originate within the fence. These issues including: a lack of pedestrian and bicycle pathways, an internal shuttle system to link the scores of buildings to the on-base Virginia Rail Express train station and of master planning particularly relative to the selection of new construction sites. The study was performed in compliance with the Record of Decision (ROD) and the Environmental Impact Statement incident to the development of the MCB Quantico Westside to accommodate growth as a result of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision.
Smart Growth for Single-Site Development Initiatives
We believe the success of any project, regardless of scale, lies in the strength of the discourse between interested parties. Therefore, Marstel-Day approaches individual development sites via comprehensive engagement of stakeholders. Crossroads, Spotsylvania County, Virginia Since April 2008, Marstel-Day has worked to facilitate the design and approval of Crossroads, a 750-acre transit-oriented development located in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, along the Virginia Railway Express expansion. With ready access to the greater Washington DC Metropolitan Area via commuter rail, Crossroads has the potential to address issues of regional growth by providing a center for housing, shopping and office space. Within this regional context, Crossroads will consider development impacts at the local level, including environmentally-sensitive areas. In the first phase of work, Marstel-Day forged a concept plan for Crossroads to identify the areas best-suited for development and those ideally reserved for wildlife and critical habitat. Future phases of this project will include a charrette (an intensive, collaborative planning effort) to further refine the project vision, and then work closely with stakeholders to obtain their insights. By doing so, it is our goal to deliver a project that is not only economically feasible, but also exemplifies best practices in sustainability and smart growth.
External Sustainability Factors and Risk Assessment
One of the primary concerns for Air Force installations is the impact of external sustainability factors on mission requirements. As the Air Force develops sustainable installation requirements and forecasts, it is essential that the Service determines the sustainability factors that support or inhibit an installation's mission. Marstel-Day is identifying the sustainability factors that may impact or support long-term sustainability of mission, potential mission changes or the expansion of an installation's mission capability. Marstel-Day is developing a deliberative planning analysis/risk assessment process and data needed. To do so, Marstel-Day must initially develop indicators and measures of external stressors and conditions and associated data and appropriate data sources. A prototype data set will be established to support on-going strategic basing, mission realignments, mission sustainability, encroachment management, and provide overall situational awareness of conditions and factors that could impact current and future mission sustainability at AF installations, ranges, and airspace.
Water Resources
Conflict Resolution
The San Francisco Bay is one of the most environmentally significant estuaries in the United States. It also supports a vigorous and economically vital transportation industry. The transportation industry and environmental community were in conflict over dredging policies and Clean Water Act alternative analysis requirements. Marstel-Day worked with the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) to facilitate an 18-month-long series of negotiations among divergent stakeholders to create consensus-based dredging and dredge-spoil disposal policies. The negotiations led to a set of recommendations that were agreed to by all parties involved and unanimously adopted by the BCDC.
Water Demand Forecasting and Sustainable Water Management Strategies
A sustainable water management strategy considers all stakeholders in the water access equation and addresses the internal and external factors that influence sustainability. The U. S. Army's motto "Strategy for the Environment: Sustain the Mission. Secure the Future," establishes sustainability as the foundation for planning and managing Army installations. In this context, "sustainability" means assuring that an Army base has enough water on an ongoing basis to meet its mission requirements. Achieving this goal is complicated when a military base is embedded in a regional political and hydrological system in which neighboring businesses, housing developments, and institutions also seek to guarantee access to water for their own needs and purposes. The U.S. Army Installation Management Command contracted with Marstel-Day to identify current and future water needs at Fort Bragg, NC, and the long-term sustainability of base water supplies. Marstel-Day developed a water demand forecasting model that is being used to provide estimates of future water demands at the installation under a variety of assumptions. Information provided by this model has yielded insights about water use and opportunities for conservation and cost savings, increased command awareness of these issues, and provided an opportunity for engagement with regional water stakeholders about common water supply issues.
Regulatory Compliance Support
Marstel-Day provides support services to the Ports of Oakland and Redwood City, CA, to assist them in meeting environmental compliance requirements in water quality, dredged material management, air quality attainment, and environmental justice. The work requires analysis of legal requirements and facilitation of consensus-building processes among diverse stakeholders and multiple agencies.
Facilitation Services for Regional Sediment Management
The effective management of sediments on a system or regional basis requires a systems-thinking approach, turning what may be a problem in one location into a valuable resource elsewhere. Regional Sediment Management (RSM) is a new approach for considering sediment as a resource to be managed for greatest positive impact within coastal and riverine systems. Marstel-Day worked with the Corps of Engineers on several occasions to bring together engineers, scientists, and policy makers to develop implementation strategies for this innovative and cost-effective approach. Marstel-Day conducted the first national-level RSM workshop in April 2005 in New York City. The workshop involved more than 100 stakeholders from federal agencies, state governments, river basin organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and government representatives from the Netherlands. Marstel-Day conducted similar RSM workshops in Portland, OR, in 2006 and for the Mobile District, Corps of Engineers for the preparation of the Gulf Regional Sediment Management Master Plan in 2007.
Program Management and Analysis
Support to NATO, the Warsaw Initiative Fund (WIF) and Partnership for Peace (PfP)
Marstel-Day began providing on-site support for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) for Policy and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) in March 2005. In 2008, Marstel-Day was awarded a NATO/Partnership for Peace/Warsaw Initiative Fund Professional Management and Analyses Support Services contract, under the terms of which it significantly increases the level and types of support it provides to OSD and DSCA. In addition to on-site support, Marstel-Day provides management consulting services to implement significant changes to the original WIF program. Marstel-Day provides senior level subject matter expertise on international defense planning, programmatic management, policy analysis through on-site support, reach-back and surge capacity, and senior advisory services. We provide a range of consulting services and support to international programs, including budget and cost tracking, metric development and monitoring, program and policy coordination, stakeholder analysis, regional assessments, support to In-country Strategic Defense Reviews, seminar and workshops planning and facilitation, and mentoring of foreign Ministries of Defense on NATO and US processes and procedures.
Global Environmental Monitoring Services
Military officers, senior policy makers and corporate leaders need to understand how environment, energy, and climate change dynamics will affect their operations directly or indirectly as "threat multipliers" or as opportunities for process changes and innovation. To meet a growing demand for information and understanding of energy and climate change impacts, Marstel-Day joined with Jane's Strategic Advisory Services, a component of leading global information provider IHS Jane's, to launch a strategic partnership. Our objective is to monitor and provide timely assessments on global environmental conditions and vulnerabilities that could adversely affect or create opportunities for operations and missions before they become full-blown meltdowns. The partnership brings together Marstel-Day's environmental expertise on issues that affect strategic planning and military operations with Jane's open source intelligence capability with access to IHS Jane's extensive global expert network of national security experts located across the globe. This unique combination of global presence, open source intelligence on security issues, and environmental expertise will deliver relevant monitoring of global environmental conditions that could exacerbate or trigger economic, social, and security-related instabilities that can affect military operations; threaten military installation or corporate facilities located around the global; exacerbate the internal stability of states; and cause instability cascade across borders with wider regional and strategic implications. Tailored analytic products include analyses of global environmental and energy conditions/contingencies in real-time alert or in-depth study formats; country, regional, or issue- specific analyses that focus on short-to-mid-term implications; over-the-horizon forecasts, and simulations and alternative future exercises that forecasts of trends, drivers, and implications for operations and strategic planning; and workshop and outreach events for the exploration of pressing, imminent or controversial issues; synergistic treatments of different viewpoints.
Marstel-Day and IHS Jane's publish a semi-monthly Global Environmental Monitoring and Intelligence (GEMI) Newsletter that offers a news compilation and analysis of current events/developments around the globe that represent environmental indicators, along with short synopses of recently-released reports on climate change and environmental trends.
GEMI Newsletter - 2010 Number 1
GEMI Newsletter - 2010 Number 2
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GEMI Newsletter - 2010 Number 10
GEMI Newsletter - 2010 Number 11
GEMI Newsletter - 2010 Number 12
Strategic Communication and Engagement
Marstel-Day works directly with senior executives to devise policies, strategies, plans, and programs, and to create the needed linkages among them. We have a proven track record providing solutions to complex problems and international issues for government and private clients through in-depth subject matter expertise, thorough analysis and tailored analytic products, creative thinking, complex problem solving, and careful facilitation. The seservices are provided both as free-standing strategies and plans or as elements of larger task order requirements.
