Let’s face it, working with regulators can be frustrating, confusing and, intimidating. Regulatory agencies — whether local, state, or federal — are, by law, a critical part of nearly every project; and yet, for many businesses, municipalities and individuals, the idea of picking up the phone or hitting “send” on that email causes hearts to skip a beat.

This is a common reaction, and sometimes, one not without merit. But why? Aren’t they working for you? The answer is both yes and no. The first thing to understand is that regulators are often seeing your project through several different lenses. Yes, they support the concept of jobs and economic growth, but they are also considering applicable laws, following detailed internal processes, and are often anticipating potential public and political interests. Even under the best scenario, these considerations are complicated, and can cause your project to move slower through the regulatory process than you would like. Under the worst scenario, these issues are in conflict with each other and can cause projects and regulatory decisions to grind to a halt. Unfortunately, you may not understand why it’s happening, how it got to this point, or what you can do to help get it “un-stuck”.

The good news is that there are things you can do to improve these situations now and minimize problems in the future. Often, it starts by simply improving your relationships with the regulatory agency. But what does it mean to have a positive and effective relationships with your regulatory agencies and what can you do to make that happen? Here are a few key concepts:

• 制定一个计划。制定订婚计划，并确保您的团队在载：谁将与各机构和在哪个级别互动？你将如何做到（呼叫，电子邮件，面对面）和频率？有什么目标，您是否有反馈措施来衡量有效性并在必要时进行调整？
• 投资这种关系。与监管机构建立生产关系将需要您的时间和愿意亲自投资。理想情况下，您将在特定项目或争议问题（即允许或执行行动）周围构建这种关系。不可避免地，你将遇到一个艰难的问题，在这方面，它将在你过去建立良好关系的努力时真的“得到回报”。
• 了解流程和压力。环境法是复杂的，但机构追随的监管程序可能是彻头彻尾的心灵！它有助于制定对这些流程的一些基本理解。它不仅会为您提供一些上下文，还可以通过特别粘性问题和潜在的障碍识别积极协助各机构工作的机会。
• 建立信任。你知道监管机构的期望吗？他们知道什么是什么期望吗？随着时间的推移，建立信任将有助于最大限度地减少道路的冲突。当问题进行弹出时，相互信任将有助于更快地解决这些问题。建立信托需要诚实和尊重的通信，遵循承诺，最小的惊喜！
• 知道（以及哪里）升级。在某些时候，您可能需要与监管机构的人谈论更高的人......那没关系。然而，在考虑到你一直试图与之建立关系的人的“过度”时，有一种正确的方法和错误的方式。
• 与专家联系。最有效的顾问和承包商应该有验证的与当地，国家和联邦监管机构有效的关系历史。他们应该能够帮助翻译目标并与监管机构联系并建立您的关系。确保您了解自己的历史，哲学和能力，就像您认为您的下一个顾问一样。

与您的监管机构建立积极和有效的关系是一项投资。它要求您的整个团队了解并以您的目标和期望对齐。它还采取了时间和资源的承诺 - 既可以通过监管机构创建和执行您的参与计划。这将需要一些开箱即用的思维，因为您可能在过去没有考虑和预算。

我们的最后一项建议？现在开始。投资将在路上偿还，并且在您通过您的下一个具有挑战性的许可证或与当地，州或联邦监管机构的执法谈判工作时，将特别富有成效。

In the next blog, we’ll be talking about some of fundamental differences between local, state and federal regulatory agencies and some specific tips to build better relationships with each.