Local Communication /State-EPA Cooperation

[David Weitz <weitzd@dnr.state.wi.us>]

I've been a  public affairs manager for Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for a number of years and I think it's essential for EPA to work closely with state partners and also agree that two-way communication, especially in the early stages of problem-identification, is important. I've worked with EPA directly on a number of Superfund actions in our region and I think we work best on an issue when we can work together to contact local residents and provide information.

At times Community Action Groups may be of service but in my experience it is extremely difficult to assess who should be "at the table" as members of a Community Action Group.  It is important for any individual member of the public to be able to make his or her voice heard to agency staff working on a project . Undue dependence on a Community Action Group can result in some elements of the larger community being stifled or at least perceiving  they are viewed as outside the framework.  

I strongly support self-identifying methods of communication that allow two-way communication between agency staff and private citizens on a one-to-one basis.  There is no single technique that is best but using a variety of methods usually allows us to either identify stakeholders or to allow them to self-identify.  The one-to-one contact also helps to identify their values.  

In my work I've come to believe that not all people perceive of the same risk as equal.  To some extent people respond to risk based on background issues such as their economic ability to make living changes if they feel they are necessarily.  Some people with such issues as large debt, an inability to move or modify their environment etc. can tend to feel powerless and to react to a risk as an unacceptable addition to their lives.  It may be necessary to spent an extensive amount of time individually with such people to make sure that they not only are communicating well but feel that they are communicating well and that they are truly being listened to.  

Thanks for this opportunity,
Dave Weitz