Continuation of Response to Dale

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

[sorry my previous message escaped from me before I was finished]

Dale wrote: 

"Finally, I think the goals should acknowledge that shared decision-making between the EPA and the public is not always possible due to existing laws and regulations and Agency mandates, so as not to raise unrealizable expectations. Even in these situations, however, exchange of information and solicitation of public input can be valuable in the manner already described in the draft policy."

As I begin to say in a previous message, this is an excellent point.  The goals do strive to "learn from the public the information it is uniquely able to provide", but probably need to ensure that the agency communicates where it is truly constrained in its discretion and where public input can make a real difference in decision making outcomes.  Too often members of the public are solicited for their input, but then told that there is nothing the regulator can do because of lack of discretion in carrying out various statutory mandates.  Often this is true, but too often it tends to be an overstatement of agency constraints.  Once the public realizes this, public trust in government officials suffers.