First Impression of Policy Goals and Implementation

[Sheila Foster <srfoster@crab.rutgers.edu>]

Agenda Topic: Introduction and Completion of Goals

Introduction:

	I am a law professor and someone who has been involved with various 
grassroots environmental justice groups, most often helping them to 
understand environmental permitting processes.  As part of my work in this 
area, I have been to a number of public information sessions and 
hearings  in connection with various permit applications.  My intellectual 
and practical experiences have shaped my interest in determining whether, 
and how, public participation activities can improve decision making 
outcomes and public trust about those outcomes.

Feedback:

	The Policy Goals are quite impressive in their breadth and vitally 
important for all the reasons stated (e.g. public trust and the legitimacy, 
fairness, and quality of decisions).   The implementation plan similarly is 
ambitious in scope, even if tempered by the reality of limited agency 
resources and the need to tailor public involvement to fit the project 
goals and public interest. I especially appreciate the recognition of 
appropriate spheres of public involvement; namely the agency's goal to 
attempt to identify information and knowledge the public is "uniquely able 
to provide."

	The goals and implementation plan do, however, seem to adhere to a 
bilateral model of communication/public involvement.  That is, 
communication and information appear to only flow between the agency and 
the various stakeholders or segments of the public. Very little attention 
is given to collaboration amongst stakeholders or different segments of the 
public.  It seems to me that not only does communication need to be 
improved between the agency and its "public," but also among different 
members of the affected public.

	I look forward to this dialogue and appreciate the agency's efforts to 
improve public participation.

Sheila Foster