Scientists at the Mid-Continent Ecological Science Center of the National Biological Service conducted a series of case studies of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license consultations. The goal of these studies was to test hypotheses abbot factors that contribute to success in interagency negotiations. Based on their analysis of six case studies, the researchers constructed a list of ten "rules for success." Examples include: Analyze the incentives of each party to negotiate, paying special attention to parties who gain by not negotiating; Clarify the technical issues so that all agree and they coincide with resource management objectives; and make sure the final agreement is feasible form both a physical and a policy perspective so that it can actually be implemented. These rules can be used to plan for negotiations and to diagnose ongoing negotiations.

Negotiation implies that parties try to reach an agreement that will satisfy at least some of the needs of each of the participating groups. According to analysis performed by an interdisciplinary research team at the national Biological Service, parties negotiating about hydropower licenses need seven conditions and behaviors. They are: need to negotiate; representativeness; power; technical clarity; commitment to implementation; urgency; playing by the rules. The results of our investigations--determined by analyzing six recent hydropower project licensing consultations--are presented below as a general guide to successful negotiating.