Public Comment and Consultation on Permits and Rules

[Bob Carlitz <bob@giotto.info-ren.org>]

Welcome to the seventh day of the National Dialogue on Public
Involvement in EPA Decisions.  Today's topic deals with Permits
and Rules - how EPA can encourage equal and open public access 
to the regulatory process.

While permits and rules might seem like very technical and
esoteric steps, it's in these steps that environmental laws
are actually implemented.  It is therefore very significant
that the permitting and rulemaking processes should include
specific requirements for public input and that these
requirements be fully honored as the Agency issues new
permits and rules.

Areas on which you might focus include:
  * Improving public input to permitting
  * Best practices for public hearings
  * Broadening participation
  * Tools to help the public
  * Changes in the Unified Agenda
  * Public input for enforcement actions
  * Input from small businesses

Today's host is Chet Wayland from the EPA Office of Air.
Our panelists are Charlie Atherton, Dave Clark, Tom Kelly,
Glenn Landers and Alan Strasser.

For more detail on today's topic, hosts and panelists, please 
consult the agenda:

      http://www.info-ren.org/network-democracy/epa-pip/join/agenda.shtml

Please keep in mind that this Dialogue is not part of the formal
comment process on EPA's December 28, 2000 draft Public Involvement
Policy. Should you wish to submit formal comments on the policy,
you may send them to the EPA at 
     stakeholders@epa.gov  
We hope that your participation in the Dialogue will be useful in
helping you to provide more informed and focused formal comments
on the policy.

Bob Carlitz, Moderator
Information Renaissance