The Public and/or Stakeholders

[Jan Boyle <boylej@msun.edu>]

Hello,

Since I did not see my introduction in the posted messages, I will re-introduce myself.  My name is Jan Boyle and I am the Training Coordinator with the Montana Environmental Training Center.  Our association is a partnership with the MT Department of Environmental Quality and the Montana State University-Northern (MSUN).  Our focus is water quality training, especially related to water and wastewater treatment operators.  In addition, I serve as adjunct professor for MSUN teaching environmental courses.

The public as I see it from my vantage points are those folks like you and me whether we are employed in state, federal, or non-governmental positions.  As a university employee I am state employed but I am also part of any public issue of interest to me.  And there lies the point - interest-centered on a broad-based public level.  

I see the stakeholder being part of the public on more of a community level where investment in the place where we live becomes the focus of interest.  There are community stakeholders who are vocal, involved and active.  There are community stakeholders who are not so vocal, but involved and active in their place.  They may not be "seen" as often.  But they are just as much a stakeholder as are the more vocal folks.  How do they "fit" into the outreach efforts of EPA?  

One observation: Community-generated efforts toward solving environmental issues seems to be one way to at least involve both the vocal and less vocal stakeholders.  Watershed groups are good examples.  Positive and supportive recognition of these community groups and their efforts by governmental agencies has to be part of any conducted outreach activities.  EPA needs to recognize the uniqueness of each of these groups(on a regional or other identified criteria basis) and the specific problems associated with their place.  Then perhaps EPA will be accepted as a partner instead of a "big brother."