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Public Involvement Network News

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.


Public Involvement Feedback Toolkit Available 

WANT FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITIES?

Now you can get it -- hassle free.   Just download and print a PDF file, make copies and go to your event. 

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved a series of 23 feedback questionnaires for Agency-wide use (https://www.epa.gov/publicinvolvement/feedback) until January 31, 2008.  This is the first time EPA has had a simple way to obtain feedback without contract dollars, staff effort to develop surveys or long approval cycles.  Using immediate feedback about what went well and what needs fixing (according to participants in our events) will enable us to measure the effectiveness of public involvement activities and continually improve them.    

Each survey has a planning check list, background fact sheet and user’s guide.   Questionnaires are available for:

The questionnaires are available in a “read-only” format.  You can use them as is -- as OMB approved them.  However, your feedback about the surveys will provide valuable advice and information.  If you have suggestions for changes or would like to have surveys for other activities that you regularly conduct, e-mail Pat Bonner (bonner.patricia@epa.gov) or call her at 202-566-2204.  EPA will have a chance to modify the ICR on an annual basis when we report its use.

Annual reporting, a condition of OMB approval, should be easy.  Whenever you use the questionnaires, just keep a record identifying which survey and the number of responses you received.  On an annual basis, right about Thanksgiving time, send Pat Bonner an e-mail noting how many times you used each questionnaire and the number of people responding to each use. 

Since those who use the questionnaires will be the only people who know what respondents say, you’ll also be the only ones who can brag about improved results.  If you see real improvements in any of the participant ratings, and can say what prompted them, please add a sentence or two to your annual report.  With that kind of information, EPA will be able to demonstrate the effectiveness of this ICR when it comes time to renew it in 2008.   And, please remember to talk to your managers about what you are doing and learning from the surveys. You need their support to deliver public involvement activities that encourage citizen engagement, collaborative problem solving and sustainable environmental solutions.  

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