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Community Relations - CR

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Confidential Documents
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Glossary of terms relating to file structure phase activities and file categories

Descriptions of 12.00 - 12.99 SRC Folder Code HZ/SF/RE/CR NARA General Records Schedule  N1-412-99-23

Definition

These are documents that record the Agency's efforts to encourage communication with affected citizens and public participation in the decision-making process.  Because the people in a community with a Superfund site personally face the hazardous waste problems associated with the site, EPA encourages community residents to participate in the process of determining the best way to clean it up. 

EPA's Community Relations program (also called Community Involvement) has several objectives:  (1)  to provide information to the community on the health and environmental effects of the release and the response actions under consideration; (2)  to encourage citizens to provide information about the site and its surrounding areas and to express any concerns about the actions being undertaken; and (3)  to include citizen comments and concerns in the decision-making process for the site. 

An official EPA spokesperson is appointed for each remedial and emergency response action to keep the public informed and to respond to any questions. Meeting with citizens in the community, responding to inquiries from the media, and providing local officials with site status information are some of the activities that EPA is likely to undertake, to keep the public informed. EPA also establishes a written record that contains information about the remedial emergency response action and makes this record available to the public.

Recognizing the importance of community involvement and the need for citizens living near NPL sites to be well informed, Congress included provisions in the Superfund Reauthorization Act of 1986 to establish the Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) program, intended to promote involvement in decisions on site-specific cleanup strategies under Superfund.  A TAG provides money for activities that help your community participate in decision making at eligible Superfund sites.


SDMS Keyword (Click on keyword to see description)

12.06  Community Background 
12.12  Community Outreach Meetings 
12.05  Community Relations Correspondence 
12.14  Community Relations Office Reports (Includes PRP or Satellite) 
12.01  Community Relations Plan / Amendments 
12.04  Congressional Hearings 
12.03  Congressional Inquiries and Responses 
12.09  Fact Sheet, Site Status Summaries and/or Handouts 
12.11  Formal Public Meeting Transcripts 
12.02  Mailing List and Contacts 
12.07  Media Clipping 
12.10  Meeting Notices 
12.18   On-the Record Individual Testimony of Presentations 
12.17  Open House 
12.08  Press Releases 
12.15  PRP Offices (See PRP listed in prior category) 
12.16  Responsiveness Summary 
12.13  Technical Assistance Grants 

12.99  Other 

SDMS Keyword Description

12.01  Community Relations Plan / Amendments 
This document is the EPA plan for keeping the public informed of activities at the site as well as allowing for comments from the public.  A community relations plan is required for all remedial (NPL) sites.   Removal sites must also have a community relations plan if the removal lasts longer than 120 working days.

12.02  Mailing List and Contacts
This is a list or log indicating who should be on the mailing list to receive publications, meeting notices, etc. 

Note: Often mailing lists, meeting lists, et. al., contain residential information which is considered confidential under the Privacy Act.  Per R6 Superfund Standard Operating Procedure, even such items are to be filed here, but should be flagged to contain confidential information so that the FOIA contractors can appropriately redact the records when responding to FOIA requests.

12.03  Congressional Inquiry and Response These are documents to or from a member of Congress asking for or receiving information about this site, sometimes with a copy of a constituent's letter. 

12.04  Congressional Hearing
These are documents relating to a formal hearing before Congress including a congressional committee hearing. 

12.05  Community Relations Correspondence
This is correspondence and/or communication between EPA and community groups or individuals. 

Note: Some of the items in this folder may contain residential information which is considered confidential under the Privacy Act.  When such materials are filed, they should be flagged as containing confidential information. The FOIA contractors will redact the confidential information when responding to FOIA requests. 

12.06  Community Background  
This is any material about the community which helps EPA determine how to involve the public in the decision making process of the site. 

12.07  Media Clipping
These are articles from periodicals, journals, newspapers, audio tapes of radio broadcasts, and videos of television coverage, etc., that are intended for general circulation.  This also includes pamphlets and other newsletters.  Media clippings are arranged one article per page, and should indicate the title, date published, name of source (i.e., Dallas Morning News) and if multiple pages - 1 of 3, 2 of 3, etc. 

12.08  Press Release 
This is a statement written for release to the news media. 

12.09  Fact Sheet, Site Status Summary and/or Handout 
This is a community relations publication, which contains information regarding the site, produced for distribution to persons on a mailing list (see also Press Release).  A fact sheet can be a brief description of action on a site prepared for upper management use. 

12.10  Meeting Notice
EPA is required to publish a notice of any public meeting regarding the Remedial Action Plan and to invite comments from the public. 

12.11  Formal Public Meeting Transcript  
EPA is required to make available to interested parties a transcript of the public meeting that involves two-way communication on the remedial action plan. 

12.12  Community Outreach Meeting  
These are notes or a transcript of any meeting held with members of the community, except the required formal Public Meeting. 

12.13  Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) 
These are documents relating to grants available to groups affected by the hazardous site.  The purpose of these grants are to obtain assistance in interpreting technical information on the nature of the hazard and recommend alternatives for investigation and cleanup throughout each stage of the Superfund process. 

12.14  Satellite Office
EPA may have a satellite office in the community near a Superfund site to provide information to the public.  A log or report of inquiries is maintained. 

12.15  PRP Office 
When the PRP is conducting the remedial work, they often provide a satellite office in the community to provide information to the public.  A log or report of inquiries is maintained and submitted to EPA on a regular basis. 

12.16  Responsiveness Summary 
This is a summary of all questions and comments received from the public, and EPA responses to these inquiries and comments. 

12.17  Open House 

12.18  On-the-Record Individual Testimony of Presentation

12.99  Other 
If the needed keyword code is not available, code to 12.99.

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