DIRECTOR'S CORNER
DEQ forms new task force to strengthen community
I am pleased to announce a unique initiative by DEQ to improve our ability to communicate with the public and the public's ability to participate in environmental actions.
DEQ will establish a formal policy to direct how the agency works with the public on environmental issues and to promote significant, substantive involvement by the public. To help develop this community involvement policy, I am assembling a task force of interested Virginians from the environmental community, as well as DEQ staff members.
We intend to improve the opportunities available to Virginians to learn about actions that affect our environment and to encourage the public to become more involved in those actions. DEQ already has taken several steps to improve public involvement. For example, Public Information Forums were held in 2000 and 2002 to discuss improving the availability of environmental data electronically. Most recently, DEQ suggested changes to the public participation policies of the air, water and waste regulatory boards. Those new policies are now in effect, providing additional opportunities for the public to communicate with the boards.
All the actions we take in this effort must be effective and meaningful. They also must make the best possible use of the DEQ staff's time and abilities, and they must foster the exchange of useful information to strengthen the environmental decisions that are so important to all of us.
I will ask the task force for a status report by November 1, 2004, on its proposal for a comprehensive community involvement policy that confirms the role of interested citizens and organizations as partners in Virginia's environmental decision making.
The task force will make its recommendations to me, and I want to ensure that these issues are addressed in the group's discussions:
- The quality and effectiveness of community involvement.
- Improving public notices and other communication from DEQ to ensure that interested Virginians are aware of impending environmental actions and can offer comments on them.
- Ensuring that public comments and concerns enhance the effectiveness of regulations and permits.
- Working with local governments to ensure public understanding of localities' authority and responsibilities when taking actions that can affect the environment.
- Establishing clear guidelines on minimizing the use of closed sessions by the citizen regulatory boards.
The DEQ members of the task force are: Tom Ballou, manager of the air emissions inventory program in the central office; Allen Brockman, specialist in waste management regulations in the central office; Tom Faha, water permit manager in the Northern Virginia Regional Office; Ellen Gilinsky, manager of the wetlands permit program in the central office; and David Miles, deputy director of the South Central Regional Office.
I also have invited representatives of environmental organizations to participate as the other members of the task force, which is expected to begin its work in April 2004.