Welcome

[Linda Breggin <breggin@eli.org>]

I would like to welcome everyone on behalf of the Environmental
Law Institute (ELI).  I am the ELI project manager for the
online dialogue.  ELI is delighted to be able to be a part of
organizing this dialogue.  Not only are we excited about
exploring this important topic but we are looking forward to
learning more about how to use online dialogues as a means of
public participation and as a tool for achieving our research
mission.

This project is an outgrowth of a report we completed last year
entitled:  Building Capacity to Participate in EPA Activities: 
A Needs Assessment and Analysis. We hope that this dialogue will
forward efforts to increase capacity and participation in EPA 
activities at the community level.

I would particularly like to thank Information Renaissance for
their extraordinary effort in putting together this dialogue.
I would also would like to thank our stellar group of panelists 
and participants for taking the time to participate in the
dialogue.

I am looking forward to a very interesting and exciting two weeks.

Linda Breggin