Developing plans and implementing projects which incorporate environmental and sustainability goals into normal operations is a common occurrence for environmental professionals. Often, there is both strong support for the environmental goals, and strong opposition to any change from normal, from groups outside of your organization.

Recall in week one that we discussed Denver's efforts to move to a pay as you throw program for residential waste, and that the Denver Auditors report raised significant concerns Download Denver Auditors report raised significant concernsabout the challenges facing the Solid Waste Division in their efforts to upgrade Denvers Solid Waste Management Program operations. Recall that the auditor recommended creating a strategic plan which more fully addresses increased waste diversion as a divisional priority., and the planning process should include a public process to collect input. For this discussion, assume that you work for the Solid Waste Division and you are the project manager for the strategic planning process.

Your initial plan was to use your stakeholder team as a surrogate for a public process, as the stakeholder team includes neighborhood representatives. Your stakeholder team includes the manager of the Solid Waste Management Division, a representative from the Mayors Office, a representative from the citys Budget Office, a representative from the citys Sustainability Office, and several external stakeholders representing neighborhood associations, some of which vocal neighborhoods which strongly oppose having to pay for trash disposal.

The direction to move to a pay as you throw system was given by the mayor and the city council. Within the next six months, Denver will be electing a new mayor and at least five of the 13 city council members will also be new. Of the five departing city council members, three had been the pay as you throw programs strongest supporters. Because of the upcoming election, the various candidates will appear at numerous public forums and will be regularly encountering numerous members of the public.

discuss the following:

• What are the threats and opportunities for the project? Are these threats or opportunities from external or internal sources?
• Are any of these risks preventable? How might the preventable risks be controlled?
• Are any of these risks from external sources? How might you address or influence these external risks?
• Which of the risks might impact the project scope, schedule, or budget?
• Of the risks you and your classmates suggest, which would be high likelihood or high impact? How would you prioritize these risks?