RE: Identifying the public -- regional meetings

[Betty Winter <winter.betty@epa.gov>]

Your comment copied here is EXCELLENT and I believe would be very helpful for EPA regions(and worth the resource commitment!):  
"As far as hearing public concerns, EPA regional offices should hold public meetings in a number of locations throughout the region each year to take public comment and to provide those with questions contact information. This would be a great service that does not already exist. Usually when public meetings are held it concerns a policy that is already on its way to completion. In this alternative approach, the public tells EPA what should be on their radar screen and what issues deserve more scrutiny."   

Region 5 (Chicago) holds stakeholders meetings in 2 or 3 different large cities in the Region each year -- their purpose is to update stakeholders and to get input from stakeholders on their priorities and issues.  The Region tries to get back to each city every few years.  Region 5 has involved their senior managers in this effort -- that and resources may be why they get to so few cities each year.  Perhaps regions could find less resource intensive ways to do this and to do more such sessions each year.