Natural Resources Institute
The Natural Resources Institute (NRI) is a unique institute within the University designed to serve as a neutral forum for debate of critical, and controversial, natural resources issues.
The University of the Pacific has taken a leadership role in acting as an honest broker by providing a forum for full and open discourse on critical natural resource issues in California.
The Natural Resources Institute was created to foster and support this role, and to allow the many resources of Pacific to be available to this discourse.
Over the last several years, this process has been labeled the “Pacific Process” and has resulted in legislation that supports resolution of key natural resource issues.
There is an acute need to continue this role of the Natural Resources Institute in the immediate future, as well as to develop and enhance additional roles and activities of the Natural Resources Institute.
The NRI was first established in July 2003 when several large water contractors and state and federal agencies met and held negotiations response to discussions held in Napa.
Reaction from key lawmakers and members of the public who were not involved in the “Napa Agreement” resulted in the start of the Pacific Process to broaden and make more public the discourse on the management of the State’s natural resources associated with operation of the State and federal water projects in the Delta.
Meetings were held on the Pacific campus over the course of a year.
The outcome of these meetings was drafting of language that was incorporated into federal legislation (HR 2828, Water Supply, Reliability and Environmental Improvement Act) reauthorizing California Bay-Delta Program, also known as CALFED.
CALFED is the state-federal-stakeholder process created to manage California’s water systems and associated natural resources.
HR 2828 was signed into law in October of 2004.
Main Institute Objectives:- To provide a forum for full and open public discourse engaging key stakeholders involved in critical natural resource issues in California.
- To develop policy analysis models and methodologies and consensus building approaches.
- To conduct studies and research related to major natural and water resource issues facing California.
- To foster education and knowledge dissemination activities.
