What information do community organizations and communities in general need for sound environmental decision-making?

[Pat Eklund <peklund@cmc.net>]

Community Organizations and local governments need real time information to ensure that environmental data are used in local land use decisions.  Some community organizations are well organized and have good access to the bureaucracy.  Other community organizations do not.  Publicizing EPA's web site and what information is available could aid community organizations and local governments.  I find that local governments have limited access to technical information about environmental issues but are on deadlines .. so, some decisions are made without evaluating all of the environmental information available.  A recent example that comes to mind is a growing trend toward requiring developers to develop 'detention basins' to control storm water runoff, not only quantity (due to limited sizing of storm drain), but also quality of the storm water. This has caused some concern for me because we may be creating a public nuisance or public safety concern .. since these detention basins that are being developed in the middle of residential areas and are being fenced.  I don't know too many children that would let a fence prohibit them from accessing something they wanted to get to.  Also, are we creating individual point sources that maybe in the future be considered point sources for NPDES.  Anyway, my point here is that local governments and community organizations are doing this deal with an environmental issue.  But is this the right alternative??  Doesn't seem to be a lot of guidance or Best Management Practices being distributed to local agencies and community organizations on these new and current programs.  Placing guidance and additional information on the web .. sending e-mails that this information is available would be helpful.