elected leaders' versus citizen input

[Hamilton Brown <hbrown@sso.org>]

There have been valid comments that elected leaders certainly do not represent the full range of opinion in most communities, including small communities.  I do believe that where the town meeting tradition is strong that citizens feel more invested in their local governments and that these governments are more responsive. In all our envirnomental guides at the National Center, we emphacize that citizen participation must be a way of doing business, not just an unhonored pledge.  

I do think EPA must make a special effort to reach out to local leaders when new rules will have a significant impact on the finances and operations of local envirnomemtal facilities. Local governemtns are ultimately responsible both for the cost of technologies and the cost of compliance related to meeting new standards.  Many rules will not trigger the formal review process but when added to the collective cost of existing requirements, the burden is substantial. EPA should also provide cost analysis on rules for which the states may determine the specifics on how they will be implemented.  It is very difficult for small communities to comment on a proposed rule when EPA responds, we have no data on its impact because even though it is a federal rule, the state determines who must comply and how.


Hamilton Brown