Office of Community Relations

About the Office of Community Relations

Formed in the mid-1970s, the Office of Community Relations supports public participation and outreach activities throughout the Agency. The Office of Community Relations establishes and maintains a dialogue with citizens and communities in an effort to understand their environmental interests and concerns, inform them of Illinois EPA activities and findings and involve the public in Agency decision-making. The Office of Community Relations is located in the Agency's Associate Director's office.

Community Relations staff possess educational backgrounds in technical, communication and social science fields. In addition, the staff have advanced training in public participation techniques and risk communication and participate in continued technical training in the environmental field. Community relations coordinators have an average of 15 years of experience within the Illinois EPA, providing them with a solid understanding of Agency programs and environmental issues. This background, experience and training contribute to a record of successful response to community concerns.

Mission Statement

To facilitate the Agency's goal of open communication and informed public participation in the decisions and programs of the Illinois EPA.

Vision Statement

To be a trusted liaison between the Illinois EPA and the public, integrating meaningful public participation into Illinois EPA decisions and activities.

Areas of Expertise

To support the Agency's programs, the Office of Community Relations offers the following skills and services:

• Identifying people and groups that may be affected by or are interested in Agency actions;
• Identifying and using effective tools and methods for public participation;
• Actively listening to community perspectives and concerns, clarifying issues and identifying resources for response;
• Conveying community concerns to Agency staff, governmental entities and regulated parties, and helping the Agency develop appropriate responses;
• Facilitating communication and information sharing among Agency staff and programs;
• Reviewing technical documents in order to:
  1. clearly communicate (written and verbal) information to the public in non-technical terms
  2. identify for Agency staff the possible effects of technical decisions on the public, and
  3. improve readability of Agency documents;
• Maintaining an on-going dialogue with communities regarding Agency activities;
• Conducting on-going risk communication, in support of public health professionals, regarding known or perceived environmental conditions; and
• Assisting with integrating geographical, social, political and economic factors into Agency decisions and producing formal planning, briefing and reporting documents.

Guiding Principles

The Office of Community Relations staff is guided by the following principles:

• The public has a right to provide information and comments for consideration in Agency decisions;
• The public's perspectives, values and cultural traditions should be considered in the Agency's decisions/activities;
• The public's knowledge of environmental issues should be considered in the Agency's decisions/activities;
• The public has a right to accurate and timely information from the Agency;
• The public has the right to expect that sensitive information, (e.g., citizen complaints, environmental sampling data or personal information) will be held in confidence. However, legal proceedings may require disclosure; and
• Community Relations' staff have a personal commitment to:
  • respect for the individual,
  • respect for shared expertise of staff and colleagues,
  • listening with an open mind,
  • honesty, openness and "straight talk,"
  • courtesy and personal accessibility,
  • flexibility and creativity in problem solving,
  • cooperation and collaboration and
  • continuous improvement and professional growth.

If you would like help from the Office of Community Relations, please call (217) 782-5562.