RE: Outreach to Impacted Communities

[Leanne Smith Nurse <nurse.leanne@epa.gov>]

My field experience in commmunity organizing and Superfund community involvement affirms her concerns.  Although pros in the field refer to "capacity building", there are already established groups within affected communities.  EPA needs to find those folks who have already established credibility, work with them to inform affected residents and engage them in a sustained dialogue.  One of the difficulties is the tendency to contact only those people who may have participated in the past.