RE: joining dialogue by fax

[Armando Quintanilla <kahn.lisa@epa.gov>]

Below is Armando Quintanilla's third set of recommendations that he sent in by fax for this dialogue.  Armando is a community activist in San Antonio TX.

1.Improving public input into permitting decisions:

*	NPDES Permits: EPA and state regulators should conduct public hearing sessions before allowing federal agencies, industries, municipalities and other permittees to discharge pollutants into the waters.

*	Clean Water Act: EPA and other federal agencies who have advisory roles in this permit process should include active citizen support and participation by holding public hearings before granting permits to discharge dredged or fill material into U.S. waters.

*	RCRA Permits and Enforcement Orders: EPA must conduct full, fair, and equitable public involvement and decision making hearing sessions before RCRA permits or enforcement orders are issued.

*	RCRA Corrective Actions: EPA must conduct full, fair, and equitable public involvement and decision making hearing sessions before a corrective action order is implemented.

2.  Best Practices recommended for public hearings, proposed regulations, permits and Superfund sites:

	Step One: Conduct an aggressive outreach program to attract and educate affected citizens.

	Step Two: Hold hearing sessions on the issues, permits, laws, regulations, Superfund cleanup or environmental justice questions.

	Step Three: Acknowledge that the citizens have the right to participate as equal partners at every level of decision making including needs assessments, investigations, planning, budgeting, implementation, enforcement and evaluation.
	Step Four: Provide feedback to the citizens who participated.

3.  Encouraging groups from outside Washington to participate in National rule making and Policy development.

	Step One: Announce a national conference on the rule or policy outside of Washington, DC hosted by CPEO or EPA.

	Step Two: Conduct initial input with on-line tools.

	Step Three: Provide scholarships to stakeholders to attend.

	Step Four: Invite stakeholders, contractors, scholars, and citizens to participate in the development of the rule or policy.

	Step Five:   Hold the conference.  After a plenary session, divide the participants into groups to develop and finalize the rule or policy.

	Step Six: Approve the rule or policy in a plenary session.

This is all for Tuesday, will start again later. 
Muchisimas Gracias.

Armando C. Quintanilla
70 Bristol Green
San Antonio TX 78209-1899
phone: 210-804-2126
fax: 210-826-5763