EPAs Public Involvement Policy

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EPAs Public Involvement Policy

• January 1981 - first policy published, not fully
  implemented
• 1999 - EPA Advisory group recommended revising
  the Policy
• December 2000 - Draft Public Involvement Policy
  published
• Public comment period ended July 31, 2001
• March 2001 - Implementation Plan Comment period
  ended
• July 10 - 21, 2001 - Internet Dialogue on Public
  Involvement held
• June 6, 2003 - Final Policy and Framework for
  Implementation released

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Public Involvement Information Sharing and
Training Tools
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Purposes of Information Sharing and Training
Tools Build a learning community of PI
practitioners Enable members to find the
support and help they need to excel Improve
the overall quality of EPAs public involvement
activities Improve decisions and environmental
quality
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Implementation Plan Information Sharing and
Training Tools Communication Network for PI
practitioners Quarterly bulletins for the
Network Brochures Internet site
http//www.epa.gov/publicinvolvement Public
Involvement Resources and Training database
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Brochures and more

• Overview booklet on EPAs Public Involvement
  Policy
• How to brochures on each of the 7 Steps for
  Effective Public involvement
• Brochures on working with Environmental Justice
  communities and consulting with Tribes
• Brochure on holding useful meetings and hearings
• Brochure on overcoming barriers to public
  involvement
• Fact sheet of Frequently Asked Questions about
  the Policy
• Seven Steps laminated card and bookmark
• Exhibits

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Home page of PIRT
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Resource page of PIRT
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Conferences page of PIRT
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PIRT Training home page
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A completed training page of PIRT
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Resource page of PIRT
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A completed resource page of PIRT
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Public Involvement Feedback and Evaluation Tools
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Implementation Plan for Evaluation Activities
Baseline follow-up assessment Public
involvement feedback tools Public Involvement
tracking table Regular sharing of lessons
learned Project-specific/program
evaluation for public involvement programs
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Baseline Survey And Findings Constructed survey
focused on how EPA performed the 7 steps to
effective public involvement Conducted 39
interviews of staff from cross-section of Agency
programs/ regions Concluded that EPA staff C
rely on a fairly limited range of standard
involvement activities C have not paid
sufficient attention to planning and budgeting
C have not provided much financial or technical
assistance C have not routinely evaluated
public involvement activities C are unlikely
to learn from past experiences without a
conscientious evaluation effort
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PI Feedback Tools Purpose

• Enable EPA staff and managers to
• Understand minimum expectations of performance
• More easily assess effectiveness
• Enhance efforts
• Enhance trust between EPA and public
• Improve quality of Agency decisions
• Enable PIP Evaluation Task Group to
• Better understand what is working in regards to
  specific types of PI activities
• Better understand if improvements are taking
  place
• More easily share lessons learned

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PI Feedback Tools Whats Included?

• User guide
• Ready-to-use questionnaires (pending
  OMB approval)
• Data input analysis spreadsheet program

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PI Feedback Tools Types of Questionnaires
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PI Feedback Tools Listening Session
Questionnaire
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PI Feedback Tools Listening Session Questionnaire
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PI Feedback ToolsConclusion

• PI feedback tools will be available on EPA Public
  Involvement Intranet in 04
• Must get questionnaire approval from OMB
• Still need volunteers to test feedback tools
• EPA PI staff, managers, and public are keys to
  success!

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Data Input AnalysisReporting Results
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What Can You do?

• Test the Feedback Forms
• Commit to using the Feedback Forms by giving
  input to the OMB Plan
• Use and suggest resources, training and
  conferences for the PIRT
• Suggest products or services that would help you
  improve involvement activities
• Share your knowledge and experience