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Community Involvement Policies and Guidance

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Community Involvement

This section provides access to EPA policy directives and other documents that guide how EPA supports meaningful community involvement in Superfund cleanups.

You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.

Community Involvement Handbook (PDF) (156 pp, 2.5MB)
Presents legal and policy requirements for Superfund community involvement and additional suggestions to help EPA community involvement personnel to involve the community in the Superfund process.

Community Involvement in Superfund Risk Assessments
Provides information for use by Superfund Site Teams, composed of a risk assessor, a remedial project manager (RPM), and a community involvement coordinator, in improving community involvement in the Superfund risk assessment process.

Regional Public Liaison Guidance (PDF) (9 pp, 59K)
Explains the role of the Regional Public Liaisons (RPLs) as independent, impartial, and discrete sources for resolving issues and concerns raised about the programs administered by EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response and provides a clear and consistent set of operating policies and procedures.

Community Involvement Policy Directives:

Early and Meaningful Community Involvement - October 12, 2001 (PDF) (6 pp, 53K)
Describes and encourages the use of six practices to ensure more substantive involvement of communities from the outset of Superfund cleanups.

Incorporating Citizen Concerns into Superfund Decision-Making - January 21, 1991 (PDF) (4 pp, 487K)
Provides guidance on ensuring consideration of community concerns in Superfund decision-making.

Minimizing Problems Caused by Staff Turnover - December 19, 1990 (PDF) (3 pp, 348K)
Provides guidance for Regional Superfund Teams on maintaining continuity in community relations in spite staff turnover within the team.

Innovative Methods to Increase Public Involvement in Superfund Community Relations - November 30, 1990 (PDF) (5 pp, 463K)
Describes innovative techniques used by Regions to expand community involvement at Superfund sites and encourages their replication is other Regions.

Making Superfund Documents Available to the Public Throughout the Cleanup Process, and Discussing Site Findings and Decisions as They are Developed - November 5, 1990 (PDF) (7 pp, 509K)
Provides recommendations to improve timely release of information to the public during site cleanup activities.

Using State and Local Officials to Assist in Community Relations - September 28, 1990 (PDF) (5 pp, 427K)
Provides recommendations for increasing the involvement of state and local officials in communicating with the public during Superfund cleanups.

Community Relations: Use of Senior Environmental Employees in Superfund - August 31, 1990 (PDF) (3 pp, 503K)
rovides guidance to improve and expand the role of Senior Environmental Employees in the Superfund program.

Role of Community Interviews in the Development of a Community Relations Program for Remedial Response - June 15, 1990 (PDF) (2 pp, 88K)
Provides guidance on the use of community interviews, which are required under the National Contingency Plan, to guide development of community relations plans at Superfund cleanup sites.

Superfund Responsiveness Summaries - June 4, 1990 (PDF) (3 pp, 124K)
Updates format for oral and/or written responsiveness summaries to improve EPA’s explanation of how it considered community concerns raised during public comment periods in making remedy selection decisions.

Planning for Sufficient Community Relations - March 7, 1990 (PDF) (7 pp, 586K)
Provides guidance to Regional staff on planning for sufficient community relations activities and identifies specific planning activities that have been used in the Regions.

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