MoreThe EPA on
Wednesday, May 19, 2010, launched an initiative to help communities more
effectively participate in government decisions related to land cleanup,
emergency preparedness and response, and the management of hazardous substances
and waste. The agency's Community Engagement Initiative (CEI) plan aims to educate
communities about decisions on environmental cleanups. According to the agency,
the purpose of the plan is to present guiding principles, goals and actions.
Depending on how it's used, a more educated community could become a benefit or a greater hazard for businesses with environmental responsibilities. There remains a strong possibility that interest groups, competitors or the public could misinterpret information and cause P.R. headaches, but having good, readily accessible information available to the public – as opposed to having it come directly from interest groups – could have the opposite effect. The EPA characterized CEI as greater level of transparency.
Because many of the EPA's programs are delegated to states, the agency said it will seek a cooperative effort with state and local governments to better coordinate resources and efforts on this initiative. The goals of the program are as follows:
For more information on the CEI and to comment on the plan visit www.epa.gov/oswer/engagementinitiative
SOURCE: EPA Press release
Depending on how it's used, a more educated community could become a benefit or a greater hazard for businesses with environmental responsibilities. There remains a strong possibility that interest groups, competitors or the public could misinterpret information and cause P.R. headaches, but having good, readily accessible information available to the public – as opposed to having it come directly from interest groups – could have the opposite effect. The EPA characterized CEI as greater level of transparency.
Because many of the EPA's programs are delegated to states, the agency said it will seek a cooperative effort with state and local governments to better coordinate resources and efforts on this initiative. The goals of the program are as follows:
- Improve transparency and upfront collaboration with community stakeholders
- Enhance technical assistance to communities
- Explain the hazards of environmental problems to affected communities
- Connect with communities that have been historically underrepresented in environmental decision-making
For more information on the CEI and to comment on the plan visit www.epa.gov/oswer/engagementinitiative
SOURCE: EPA Press release
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