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All parties reported a willingness to negotiate again. Success scores range from 7-8. Cataract Proiect Ratings for technical clarity, in the Cataract Project changed dramatically at different times during the negotiation. Cataract is the downstream- most impoundment on the Saco River in Southern Maine. Water released from the project travels a short distance before emptying into the estuary of the Saco. In the early stages of the consultation, the parties shared an understanding that the issues included instream flow for Cataract and seven upstream impoundments, the need for a comprehensive river plan, and fish passage. Understanding these issues did not preclude disagreement. For example, the exact details of a comprehensive river plan were contentious because the parties could not resolve the question of how far upstream fish passage facilities needed to be constructed. After the project proponent completed the license application, additional conflicts arose while some existing issues became clearer. For example, the fish passage issue became clearer through a mutual agreement setting an approach to resolving the problem. In this phase, one party introduced the issue of flow releases for waste assimilation downstream of the dam in the form of a state Section 401 water quality certification. This new issue surprised other parties because it was introduced late in the consultation process. Uncertainty about state Section 401 certification was manifested in discussions about whether the state agencies had the authority to include streamflow as a part of their Section 401 certification and whether FERC was bound to include the Section 401 certificate in the license. Because the answers to these questions were unclear the parties responded with low ratings in our quantitative measure of technical clarity. In the final phase--after a license was issued--technical clarity was reported as high even though the Section 401 flow issue remained unresolved. As time passed in the Cataract negotiations, some issues were clarified, some muddied, and some discarded. Most disagreements about technical issues revolved around how to make decisions, resolve problems, choose methodologies, and interpret results. The parties understood the issues but could not agree on how to resolve them. One reason for this was that the applicant and some of the parties to the Cataract consultation were simultaneously involved in a very contentious general stream negotiation on the Kennebec River and that process led to skepticism about the Cataract process. The following exchange characterizes the respondents' conclusions about this negotiation: Q: Once established, during that first phase, was the understanding of what the technical issues were, ever lost? A: I think what the consultation does, and certainly what it did in Cataract, is, it better defines [issues]. As we went through this process, we better defined maintenance drawdown as a potential habitat concern. Better defined certain fish passage issues. So I don't think anything was lost, just better defined, which is the goal of that process. We rated the Cataract project as minimally successful. Not all parties believed that a satisfactory agreement was reached. The state Section 401 water quality certification, fish passage, and instream flow were unresolved issues. Procedures to implement agreements were included for those issues on which there was agreement. All parties reported a willingness to negotiate again. Success scores range from 2-9. Ashton-St. Anthony Proiect Located on the Henry's Fork River in southeastern Idaho, the Ashton-St. Anthony Project consists of two developments; a dam, reservoir, and powerhouse near the town of Ashton and a diversion dam, canal, and powerhouse within the city limits of St. Anthony. The project was constructed in the mid-1910's, later acquired by a large regional utility, and scheduled for relicense in 1984. Under FERC rules of that period the relicensing presented an opportunity for a municipality to obtain the new license, to the detriment of the utility.