Portland Water Bureau (XLC)
June 24, 1997 Submittal of Proposed Stakeholder Involvement and Support Plan
Proposed Stakeholder Involvement and Support Plan
June 24, 1997
The Portland Water Bureau is submitting this document
as supplementary information to our March 21, 1997 proposal for the
XL Community Pilot Program. This supplement describes the Proposed Stakeholder
Involvement and Support Plan for the Portland Water Bureau's Lead Hazard
Reduction Program (LHRP).
Stakeholder Involvement and Support Development
Strategy
The Portland Water Bureau is working to develop the
LHRP in partnership with the Oregon state health agency, three county
environmental health departments, regional water suppliers, environmental
and environmental justice groups, community and neighborhood organizations,
and the EPA Project XL Internal Proposal Review Team.
It is clear that community groups and affected members
of the general public (and environmental and other interest groups advocating
for those persons) have the largest stake in this project. The stakeholder
involvement and support strategy is being designed to achieve effective
outreach to affected communities and interests. It is also intentionally
being designed to be an iterative and dynamic effort so that the LHRP
can be shaped as necessary to meet the needs of the stakeholders. Therefore,
the stakeholder involvement process, and the project objectives themselves,
are expected to evolve as a result of the stakeholder involvement process,
as well as based on comments from the EPA during all stages of the XL
Project review and agreement process.
While the plan proposed in this document looks forward
to significant efforts in stakeholder involvement, it is worth noting
that public discussion of approaches to complying with the Lead and
Copper Rule have been ongoing in the City of Portland for over three
years. The City's Water Quality Advisory Committee, a nine member group
representing environmental, public health, consumer, and citizen interests,
has had this issue before it no fewer than 13 times between March of
1994 and November of 1996. They, along with key members of the local
and state environmental and public health agencies, have consistently
supported the innovative approach to Lead and Copper Rule compliance
included in the Project XL proposal. A brief history of the formal support
from the partners, the public process, and community outreach efforts
to date is attached to this document.
Action Plan for Stakeholder Involvement and Support
Current efforts to develop relationships with affected
communities and groups:
Efforts are ongoing to develop and implement an outreach
program that will extend to those community and other interests who
are vital to the success of the project. These include environmental
and environmental justice groups, and community and neighborhood organizations,
especially those in North and Northeast Portland which will be the focus
of the LHRP. City of Portland staff, who comprise the project team are
actively developing relationships with organizations such as the African
American Health Coalition and the Environmental Justice Action Group,
and discussing possible partnering in lead hazard reduction work with
a professor of sociology at Washington State University-Vancouver. A
consultant with expertise in outreach to diverse communities, community
organizing, use of the community mobilization framework model, and familiarity
with individual, social and organizational roles and relationships in
diverse communities will be retained by the City to support this effort.
The project team will work with the consultant to refine
the Stakeholder Involvement and Support Plan and develop an effective
strategy to reach those communities closest to the project as well as
those stakeholders interested in the broader (e.g. regional, nationwide)
implementation of the lead hazard reduction concepts and activities
which will be developed in this program. The stakeholder involvement
process will evolve as needed based upon the results of the initial
steps of the stakeholder involvement process and comments from the EPA
during the XL Inquiry Process and the Final Project Agreement stage.
Objectives for the Stakeholder Involvement and Support
Plan, and Development of the Process:
The project team envisions a direct relationship between
the objectives of this project and the multiple phases of Project XL
proposal and project development:
- During the Inquiry Process of the Project XL Proposal
Development Stage, the project team will be working with the broadest
possible range of stakeholders to assess the level of interest in
the community and to identify "who" potential LHRP stakeholders
are. During the Final Project Agreement and Recruitment processes
of the XL Project Development Stage, the "who" will be further
refined to recruit and identify Direct Participants and Commentors.
- Upon completion of the Closure Stage by EPA, the
stated project objectives (the "what") will be refined based
upon feedback from stakeholders and the Project XL Internal Proposal
Review Team. The currently stated objectives of the Lead Hazard Reduction
Program are:
- Helping to develop community awareness of lead
safety issues through a variety of approaches
- Stimulating local public health agencies and
community organizations to coordinate efforts to prevent lead
poisoning
- Increasing the knowledge base regarding the
occurrence of home lead exposure risks in the Portland area so
that communities can develop optimal approaches to primary prevention
of lead exposures
- Encouraging dialogue between stakeholders to
stimulate awareness of other community health issues and resources
- Helping to develop community awareness of lead
safety issues through a variety of approaches
- Prior to the Project XL Implementation Stage, the
specifics on Ahow@ the project objectives will be achieved
will have been determined. During the Implementation Stage, the project
will be monitored for compliance and for lessons learned that can
be transferred to a broader context. The ongoing role for stakeholders
during implementation will be agreed to during the course of the stakeholder
involvement process.
Timeline for the Lead Hazard Reduction Program Stakeholder
Involvement and Support Plan
The following specific steps and target dates for the
Stakeholder Involvement and Support Plan are proposed as a starting
point for this effort.
- Continue developing relationships with individuals
and groups in the community to further identify additional key stakeholders
in the Portland area. Target date - July 1
- Obtain services from consultant. Target date
- July 15
- Submit scope of work, project information, and
Request For Qualifications to consultants
- Review and evaluate submittals from consultants,
and contract for services. Note: scope of services will include
assistance and advice on some or all of the tasks as identified
below
- Submit scope of work, project information, and
Request For Qualifications to consultants
- Review Proposed Stakeholder Involvement and Support
Plan with consultant and modify as needed. Target date - July 31
- Submit revised Plan to XL Community Pilot Program
- Submit revised Plan to XL Community Pilot Program
- Stakeholder Interview Process:
- Develop informational material for distribution
to potential stakeholders (Direct Participants, Commentors, General
Public). Target date - August 10
- Letter of invitation
- Fact Sheet (project information describing
and emphasizing the direct impact to communities and a continuum
of involvement from endorsing/commenting on activities to
building active coalitions and direct participation)
- Letter of invitation
- Complete development of the existing list of
potential stakeholders in the Portland area. Develop a comprehensive
list of potential key stakeholders representing community, environmental,
environmental justice, and other interest groups for subsequent
receipt of informational material, participation in the stakeholder
interview process, and potential stakeholder involvement. Target
date - August 10
- Mail/distribute letters of invitation and Fact
Sheets to potential stakeholders. Target date - August 15
- Develop questions and process for initial Stakeholder
Interviews (see next step). Target date - August 15
- Conduct Stakeholder Interviews. Target date
- August 30
- Make phone or personal contact with all
potential stakeholders:
- Summarize and record stakeholder feedback
on project goals, objectives, and proposed activities
- Answer questions about the proposed
project, and maintain written record of questions asked
and responses provided
- Provide additional information:
- invitations to meetings/workshops
at neighborhood locations
- Project schedule and timelines
- nature of the desired relationships
between community members, stakeholders, and project
team
- invitations to meetings/workshops
at neighborhood locations
- Have a principled discussion with each
potential stakeholder: come to consensus, categorize,
and record the desired general level of interest of each
potential stakeholder
- Summarize and record stakeholder feedback
on project goals, objectives, and proposed activities
- Make phone or personal contact with all
potential stakeholders:
- Develop informational material for distribution
to potential stakeholders (Direct Participants, Commentors, General
Public). Target date - August 10
- Follow-up to Stakeholder Interviews:
- Develop format and materials for neighborhood
meetings and workshops. Target date - September 15
- Develop group process techniques which are
facilitative and supportive of the individual, social, and
organizational roles and relationships in the given community,
and the needs of the project
- Develop evaluation form or other process
so potential stakeholders can evaluate the meeting and the
project, and provide information on their level of interest
and desired level of participation
- Develop group process techniques which are
facilitative and supportive of the individual, social, and
organizational roles and relationships in the given community,
and the needs of the project
- Set up neighborhood meetings and workshops.
Target date - September 15
- Conduct neighborhood meetings and workshops.
Target date - September 30
d. Review and evaluate information gathered at neighborhood meetings and workshops. Target date - October 15
- Evaluate the processes used and the relationships
developed
- Identify potential stakeholders (Direct
Participants, Commentors, General Public)
- Develop and implement additional strategies
to gain support and commitment where needed
- Evaluate the processes used and the relationships
developed
- Contact identified potential stakeholders (Direct
Participants, Commentors) and gain their official commitment and
support to the project. Target date - November 15
- Develop final list of stakeholders (Direct Participants,
Commentors, including state and local health agencies, regional
water suppliers, environmental and environmental justice groups,
and community and neighborhood organizations) and submit to XL
Community Pilot Program. Target date - November 20
-Attachment-
Brief history of the formal support from the partners, the public process,
and community outreach efforts to date- City of Portland Resolution No. 35431, August
9, 1995. The Portland City Council directs the Water Bureau to
construct a corrosion control treatment facility and to develop
a Lead Hazard Reduction Program.
- "Living with Lead", The Sunday Oregonian newspaper,
October 20, 1996, David Austin. Public media discussion of health-related
lead issues and Portland's water system.
- City of Portland Resolution No. 35580, December
18, 1996. The Portland City Council supports the implementation
of Lead Hazard Reduction Program and directs the Water Bureau
to work with the EPA to achieve approval and compliance.
- *Oregon Health Division, Acting State Health
Officer. Letter of support, June 19, 1995.
- *Multnomah County Health Officer. Letter of
support, June 15, 1995.
- This support was affirmed in March 1997 when
the State Health Officer and the Multnomah County Health Officer
co-signed the cover letter to the Project XL proposal along with
Rosemary Menard.
- Washington County Health Officer. Letter of
support, June 9, 1995.
- Clackamas County Health Officer. Letter of support,
June 16, 1995.
- Bull Run Water Managers Advisory Board. Letter
of support, June 15, 1995.
- City of Portland Water Quality Advisory Committee.
Letter of support, June 7, 1995.
The Water Quality Advisory Committee is a nine member group which meets monthly and advises the Portland City Council on water quality related issues. Its charter includes explicit provision for membership by those with expertise or association in areas such as water quality, water treatment, public health policy, the environmental community, civic and business organizations, major industrial or commercial users, neighborhood associations, and the public at large.
Note: Conceptual alternatives to corrosion control, the Lead Hazard Reduction Program, public health risks from lead exposure, and the Lead and Copper Rule have appeared on the Water Quality Advisory Committee agenda as discussion or decision items on the following dates: March, June, July, August, September and October 1994, January, April, June, July and August 1995, and August and November 1996.
- Develop format and materials for neighborhood
meetings and workshops. Target date - September 15