Summary of Communication and Outreach

Work Group Conference Call

May 7, 1997

I. PURPOSE

A teleconference meeting of the Communication & Outreach Work Group took place on May 7, 1997 to discuss the status of the brochure, issue paper summaries, communication needs for promulgation, the updated meeting schedule, and the updated issue paper status summary. Following is a summary of the discussion and proposed action items.

II. PARTICIPANTS

Work Group members in attendance:

Tom Curran, Co-chair, OAQPS/ITG

Ron White, Co-chair, ALA

Jan Kleeman, OAQPS/ITG

Alice Collingwood, PSAPCA

Stephanie Cooper for Bruce Carhart, OTC

Kathy Ellis, DoD

Nancy Kruger, STAPPA/ALAPCO

Jayne Mardock, Clean Air Network

Richard Paul, AAMA

Nancy Seidman, Massachusetts DEP

Scott Thomas, Oklahoma DEQ

Work Group members not in Attendance:

Tad Aburn, MDE

Bill Baker, EPA Region II

Margaret Cook, Intertribal Council of Arizona

Mike Kenyon, EPA Region I

Caryl Pfeiffer, Kentucky Utilities Co.

Quin Shea, NMA

Others: Deborah Amaral, EC/R Incorporated (EPA Contractor support)

III.	MEETING SUMMARY

Action items

1)	The group agreed to seek a list of issue paper priorities from the workgroup co-chairs and the Coordination Group, in time for discussion at the face to face meeting on June 9, 1997.

2)	Specific wording and formatting changes were recommended for the issue paper summaries and cover sheet. They are described in more detail, below. Members should send in written comments on the summaries to Jan Kleeman by May 9, 1997.

3)	EPA asked workgroup members to give specific recommendations about the communication needs when the new rules are promulgated.

Other items to note:

1)	Schedule for upcoming meetings:

6/9/97	1:00 - 4:00 p.m. EDT	OMNI Hotel, Durham, NC

2)	An updated version of the Issue Paper Status Summary (Management Plan Section IV) was included with the materials distributed for the teleconference.

IV.	SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION

Status of Brochure

Copies of the brochure are due to be delivered to Jan Kleeman by May 20, 1997. She hopes to distribute them according to plan by the end of May.

Issue Paper Summaries

The workgroup debated the topic of when to write the summaries, given the process for reaching closure on issue papers in the subcommittee. Summaries prepared in advance of closure may help the process move forward. The workgroup agreed to seek a list of priorities from the co-chairs and the Coordination Group in time for discussion at the face to face meeting on June 9, 1997. The assignment of contacts may need to be reallocated based on the priorities, to obtain a more even distribution of effort.

Cover Sheet

The text describing the workgroups implies a special initiative to reach consensus takes place at the workgroup level, when it is the subcommittee that has been designed to seek consensus. Change the text to say the workgroups "focus and develop specific issues, then bring them back to the subcommittee."

Template

The template works, and the headings in it are fine. The template looks good, the issue is how well the people writing the summaries can stick to it. The contractor will prepare the working draft summaries.

Issue Paper Summary Samples

In the Classifications sample, the bullet that begins with "creates complacency" is too abrupt. Say "may lead an area to delay implementation of controls." Add a heading that says "current issues or problems" before the bullets.

Keep the summaries to two pages. In option 1, in the Classifications summary, find another word for "easy," perhaps "first tier."

The summary of the AOIs/RAMPs issue paper consists entirely of definitions and steps. The group discussed whether the summary could be given more substance, and concluded the summary is up-to-date and more information is not available. The group considered adding information on the political issues involved, but agreed it would be hard to explain in a short, written piece.

These are not plain English. These summaries are the first drafts, developed by the contractor, and the role of the workgroup contacts is to get them into plain English. Send in written comments on the summaries to Jan Kleeman by May 9, 1997.

Communication Needs for Promulgation

The workgroup members discussed their experiences in October and November 1996, when the new rules were proposed. Members asked whether EPA might release information prior to publication of the rules in the Federal Register.

EPA asked members to give specific recommendations. Members suggested having as much information on costs and benefits available as possible, and recommended addressing what the rules mean for state agencies. EPA should be prepared to explain the standards and the timelines, and be able to tell an area whether it falls in a region that is in or out of compliance.

Updated Meeting Schedule and Other Business

The workgroup reviewed the updated schedule for FACA Subcommittee meetings. The Portland, OR meeting is definite, there is a contract with the hotel. The softest date is the one for the December meeting, but the January date could also change.

Tom Curran may attend the Air and Waste Management Association Meeting, and miss part of the FACA meetings in early June 1997.

The hotel for the June Subcommittee meeting is the OMNI in Durham, NC. The telephone number is 919-683-6664. A block of rooms has been reserved, and the government rate is $86.

The Plain English Guide to Implementation is posted as a fact sheet on the EPA Website on the Internet. A few, very minor, changes have been made, such as changes to the dates, and it has been posted on the EPA Webpages rather than on the FACA pages.

The Issue Paper Status Summary (Management Plan Section IV) keeps changing. An updated version was included with the materials distributed for the conference call. It reflects the latest thinking on what will be discussed at the FACA Subcommittee meetings in June and August.