Community Perceptions

[Peter G. Redmond <redmond.peter@epa.gov>]

Great discussions and comments!  I'm Peter Redmond with the US EPA Superfund Communty Involvement and Outreach Center (CIOC).  Great to see my colleagues (Marilyn, Betty, etc.) still actively working on these issues.

My first comment reiterates the point Marilyn Null made on identifying community perceptions.  EPA should focus strategically on understanding and addressing community perceptions (right or wrong) to be more effective.  As Betty Winter said, most outreach tools traditionally used by EPA to reach a wide public are ineffective.  Nothing works better than talking/listening to community members, leaders and those most affected by the actual or future environmental assault (I love Connie Tucker's use of "assault" -- unambiguous, unbureaucratic and hits home!)

EPA programs need unambiguous direction on involving stakeholders and should be rewarded or sanctioned as incentive to require/enforce stakeholder involvement standards.  I hope this last point will be taken up more in next week's evaluation discussion.