RE: EPA's Future use of thei Dialogue's content

[Nadine Scott <deannie@nctimes.net>]

Hi Lisa,

Thank you for the opportunity to voice my views and learn about other views, issues and concerns.

My number one request is as follows:

  However, the LARGEST MAJOR DRAWBACK TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: THE EPA WEBPAGE AND INFORMATION ON IT. It simply does not disseminate, in a usable form, forms, facts or links that enable one to comment easily. Many people are now computer literate and prefer this form of communication over any others.  Plus computers are readily available at many locations including libraries, schools, senior centers, etc.. ( I apologize to those who do not yet have computer access)

	If you truly seek public input, you must put active, hot links on the EPA home page that indicates where people can click to comment on topics such as Arsenic, AFO/CAFO, etc...this should include email addresses, snail mail addresses, etc.  It would say something like "Comments on Proposed Regulations" and link to pages that have TITLES on various topics as mentioned above.  Certainly such links should also clearly state the cut off dates for comments.

	The system used now, to refer one to the Federal Register, is dinosauric and appears as an obvious ploy to keep the average person from finding the information needed in order to form a comment.

	One does not usually know the Fed. Register number and that system at best is confusing, burdensome, overly complicated and uses advanced language skills that many folks don't possess. I'm an attorney with an extremely high skill level at reading and analysis but frankly, the FR is horribly difficult to read and maneuver through.  This language must be simplified with executive summaries in plain English, at about the 6th grade level, so an average person can read and understand the issues and facts.

Additionally you should utilize the local conservation districts, some 3000 strong in America, for your local contact points in many cases.  These local government groups work with local agriculture and natural resources concerns on private lands and often are your best source of information as to stakeholders, etc.  They are NON-REGULATORY, and often have built up trust with the local folks, something EPA has not been very good at.  EPA needs to become more customer oriented, rather than hanging on to the appearance of the big-bad-gorilla-enforcer.  Afterall, we pay taxes to support the work of EPA and should feel like we have some involvement in a true dialogue on the issues.

Thanks again for this opportunity.