States, Tribes and Local Governments

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

Today is the next to last day of the National Dialogue on Public
Involvement in EPA Decisions.  Welcome to our ongoing discussion.
Today's topic deals with States, Tribes and Local Governments.
These groups are not only affected by EPA decisions; they are
also co-regulators in the environmental field.  This dual role
creates problems of coordination and uniformity while providing
additional challenges to regulated entities and the affected
general public.

In the best of worlds the existence of multiple regulatory
authorities can provide varied examples of best practice in
the regulatory arena.  In the real world we find confusion,
contradiction and, as some dialogue participants have called
it, some examples of "worse practice."  Please tell us about
your experience in this area.

Areas on which you might focus in today's discussion include:
  * States best practices 
  * Tribal government best practices 
  * Local government best practices 
  * Involvement in delegated programs 
  * Supporting local government's participation 

Today's host is the EPA Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental
Relations.  Our panelists are Hamilton Brown, Patricia Cochran,
Mary Hamel, Jim Marxen, Romel Pascual and Linda Giannelli Pratt.

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