The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a Federal Register notice seeking public comments on its draft “Public Involvement Policy.” If adopted, the policy will provide guidance and direction to EPA officials on effective means to involve the public in its regulatory and program decision-making. EPA hopes to publish its final public involvement policy in the spring.
When it becomes final, EPA’s policy will apply to all programs, including such activities as rulemaking for significant regulations, permit issuance or modification, selection of plans for clean up of hazardous waste sites, and other significant policy decisions. EPA’s first Public Involvement Policy was published in 1981, and has not been updated significantly since then.
The recommended implementation actions include:
· Creating a communication network and mechanisms that allow EPA staff to exchange public involvement information;
· Creating an electronic database that includes public involvement training opportunities;
· Case studies and other helpful resources;
· Providing public involvement training to EPA staff and managers;
· Developing evaluation measures and tools to measure the effectiveness of EPA’s public involvement activities; and
· Evaluating the Agency’s adoption of the Public Involvement Policy over time.
EPA will accept comments on the proposal until March 18, 2002. The notice and additional information on the Agency’s Public Involvement Policy is available on the internet at http://www.epa.gov/stakeholders/ .
