Getting Information Out

[Mary Popkin <mary.popkin@epa.gov>]

Good morning. This is Mary Popkin greeting you on behalf of some EPA workers in the Office of the Administrator.  They include Sonia Altieri, Marsha Minter, Leanne Nurse and myself. Let's begin with appreciation: to all who are observing this dialogue; to all who have commented on EPA's public participation policy and its implementation; and to today's panelists who agreed to lead discussion about Getting Information Out. It appears to me that there is recognition that electronic communication has benefits and some shortcomings insofar as environmental decision-making.  That's why we are hoping today that dialogue participants will focus on recommending methods and techniques that EPA should consider, test, evaluate and recommend as sound measures to improve communication with potentially interested parties. Some of them, we hope, will become stakeholders in advisory and decision-making capacities on enviromental matters at local, state, regional and national levels.