DATE:	June 13, 1996

SUBJECT:	DRAFT Summary of May 29, 1996 Communication and Outreach Work Group meeting.

I.	PURPOSE

An in-person Communication & Outreach Work Group meeting took place on May 29, 1996 to discuss written materials, the Home Page, satellite downlinks, and other materials. 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

Susan Bullard, OMS

Bruce Carhart, OTC

Alice Collingwood, PSAPCA

Kathy Ellis, DoD

Nancy Kruger, STAPPA/ALAPCO

Richard Paul, AAMA

Caryl Pfeiffer, Kentucky Utilities Co.

Nancy Seidman, Massachusetts DEP

Quin Shea, NMA

Sandy Stash, ARCO

Scott Thomas, Oklahoma DEQ

Work Group members not in Attendance:

Tad Aburn, MDE

Veronica Kun, NRDC West

Other EPA attendees: Christine Sansevero, Nancy Pate, Bob Stallings, Michelle McKeever, Barbara Parzygnat, Angie Shatas, and Karen Borel (Region IV).

Eric Schweitzer, EC/R Incorporated (EPA Contractor support)

III.	MEETING SUMMARY

Action items

1)	Members are to send comments on the two fact sheets distributed at the meeting (NAAQS review process, FACA process) to Jan Kleeman within 2 weeks.

2)	Tom Curran asked members to think about what to cover in the more-targeted downlinks.

3)	Members will be sent either a hardcopy or diskette version (need Netscape 1.1 or higher to use) of the Home Page for review. Members were asked to send comments on the Home Page to Jan Kleeman within 3 weeks of receipt.

4)	Tom Curran will check into the cost of EPA downlinks versus those put on by the American Bar Association and whether State/local agency personnel have to pay to attend the EPA downlinks.

5)	Susan Bullard will set up the Society for Environmental Journalists' (SEJ) on-line list server to distribute Communication & Outreach materials to SEJ members electronically, and will see if it is possible to get a speaker on the FACA process on the meeting agenda for the national conference this October.

6)	Tom Curran will ask the Coordination committee how members should handle eccentric responses or comments received through the Home Page.

Other items to note:

1)	Schedule for upcoming meetings:

6/13	12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EDT	(202) 260-8330 (#6978)

6/27	12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. EDT	(202) 260-8330 (#6978)

The next in-person Communication & Outreach Work Group meeting is scheduled to take place on July 29, 1996 in the Washington, DC area. The FACA Subcommittee will meet on July 30 and the CAAAC will meet on July 31.

2)	OTC will send their information resource guide to anyone who is interested. [If interested, contact Bruce Carhart.]

IV.	SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION

Brochure/one pagers/issues notebook

Because the information related to this process is likely to change quickly, Tom Curran thinks a brochure may not be the ideal format for the Work Group to utilize. Draft fact sheets on the FACA process and the NAAQS process that are being used by Jeff Clark were passed out to attendees. These draft copies have not been fully reviewed. Tom Curran asked members to offer any feedback they have on these fact sheets. Please get comments on the fact sheets to Jan Kleeman within the next two weeks. If a brochure is created, it may contain material from these two fact sheets. Jan Kleeman said the ozone/PM health effects fact sheets are being finalized and have not been reviewed yet. They should be ready by the end of next week. Please send comments on the health effects fact sheets to Jan Kleeman within two weeks of receipt.

Susan Bullard said the Society for Environmental Journalists thinks the openness of the FACA process is a worthy story in itself. Sandy Stash is concerned about the ability of State/local agencies and small businesses without dedicated air quality personnel to comprehend the fact sheets. Caryl Pfeiffer said small businesses are in the dark about how the new standards and integrated implementation will affect them. Alice Collingwood said the State/local agencies want to know what this is all about and when it will affect them. She also said they are aware that federal money is drying up. Sandy Stash said State/local agencies have questions about the impending costs and requirements.

Scott Thomas said there are questions about whether new nonattainment areas will need to do the same things old nonattainment areas did. Nancy Seidman thinks the public has misconceptions about what PMfine is and that because a PM2.5 standard will probably be issued, what this means must be explained to the general public in order to develop the necessary program support.

Sandy Stash said that PM research covers the issue of mortality without discussing what a new standard will mean to the average utility bill and driving costs. Ron White said that is because the process has not reached that point yet. Alice Collingwood and Ron White both liked the two EPA fact sheets. Alice Collingwood wants the fact sheets to be easily updatable.

Ron White suggested the following three-tier system of targets: 1) the average person, 2) mid-levelers: private industry, environmental groups, MPOs (transportation folks), and 3) air quality professionals/experts. He thinks the two fact sheets just passed out are targeted to level 2-types, which is the appropriate audience for now. Sandy Stash suggested deciding who this will affect before deciding on the target audiences. She thinks the fact sheets are geared towards professionals and said the general public and State/local agencies need to be reached. State/local agencies should be reached first. Sandy Stash also stressed the need to provide information to the people that will need to sell the programs to their state legislatures, which will necessitate maps and scenarios. The State/local agencies can then disseminate information to the level 1 group. Alice Collingwood said that State/local agencies fear that a one-size-fits- all implementation approach will prevail.

Susan Bullard suggested a folder with one-pagers on potential impacts for States, rural areas, etc. Each of these areas can have a one-pager designed for it, which can be simple but comprehensive. The packages can be designed to allow people to follow along at their level. Tom Curran likes the information packet idea. The Work Group proposed a table of contents including: sources, air quality distribution (maps), effects (health and environmental), and potential impacts (costs/benefits). It also should include answers to questions such as "What does it mean to me as..?", and "What can I do about this?," which will again necessitate providing maps. He liked the pick-and-choose capability. Kathy Ellis noted that a package of this kind will preclude local agencies from having to reinvent this information for each audience.

Michelle McKeever said that OAQPS' economics group is doing a cost/benefit analysis on the NAAQS now. They also will look at implementation because changing implementation strategies can reduce costs. The NAAQS Regulatory Impact Analysis is due out 90 days before the proposal. The health risks analysis has already been finished and the cost/benefit analysis will be done by the time of the proposal. The risk analysis will include the topic of additional administrative costs, but coverage of this topic will not be comprehensive. The primary focus is on emission control costs. Since administrative costs are impossible for EPA to estimate, they are handled separately.

Kathy Ellis noted that programs resulting from this process will entail costs and that educating people about this now will create support for program funding later on. She noted the present uncertainty about the need for new or additional monitoring as an example of possible new costs. Alice Collingwood said that although it is too soon to discuss some aspects of the "What does it mean to me?" question, health effects can be discussed now. It is important to drive home the program's relevance to the public. There was general agreement that the level 3 audience, (i.e., air quality experts), can be dismissed as a target audience by the Work Group.

Sandy Stash thinks general information on things such as what a program for PM2.5 might mean to gasoline prices should be included in materials. She urged the provision of cost information as well as benefits, especially in areas that have not dealt with these issues before (i.e., areas that have never had nonattainment areas). Alice Collingwood agreed, but also suggested telling people about what positive actions they can take, like tuning up their cars and riding public transportation. Several members envision the Work Group as "arming the teachers." Much of the information will be designed to reach groups that will subsequently disseminate it to a broader audience, for example the League of Women Voters presenting material to a fifth-grade class.

Ron White mentioned that the notion of a "general" public is less relevant today. Recent attention has revealed that many groups have been missed in past outreach efforts, including low-income and low-literacy groups. He noted that people are not getting information through reading as much as in the past, and recommended targeting the level 2 audience. He thinks the level 2 audience will be the ones who disseminate the materials to these missed groups. The American Lung Association targets printed material to a sixth-grade reading level and have been told the level is too high.

There was a discussion on who would produce the items on the list. Some of the items will be produced by other Work Groups. Ron White said Communications & Outreach cannot produce materials from scratch, so what does not come from the other Work Groups must come from EPA or a contractor. He sees this Work Group as reviewing materials and providing input about whether they are understandable and will achieve the intended goals. He also sees the Work Group as helping decide how to disseminate the materials. If they do not reach the intended audience(s) they are worthless. Susan Bullard wants the Work Group to keep it simple and inexpensive. She also thinks products should be easily reproducible.

Susan Bullard inquired about an EPA 1-800 hotline. One member spoke highly of EPA's existing indoor air hotline/clearinghouse and noted that indoor air pollution is not as big an issue as what FACA is dealing with. Susan Bullard mentioned the possibility that an existing EPA hotline could distribute Communication & Outreach materials.

Ron White asked who would follow up on questions resulting from the Web page. Susan Bullard said that there may be specific legal requirements regarding ex parte record-to- file for anything EPA staff say concerning the NAAQS.

Susan Bullard listed seven ideas suggested by the Society of Environmental Journalists as good ways to reach people. The following forums were suggested as vehicles to provide information on the FACA process:

1) A mailing list of 900 members ($300 for a single use),

2) Speaking on the "here comes summer ozone" panel at Rutgers (June 14 &15),

3) Their on-line list server,

4) Periodic briefings at the press club for the DC press corp,

5) Their national conference in October,

6) Submitting an article(s) to their publication, and

7) Speaking at the "Clean Air Conference" in Colorado, September 17-19, 1996.

Susan Bullard will set up the Society for Environmental Journalists' (SEJ) on-line list server to distribute Communication & Outreach materials to SEJ members electronically and refer them to the TTN right away.

Home Page Demonstration

Christine Sansevero gave attendees a demonstration of the prototype Home Page.

As part of this demonstration, she showed how to access the data corresponding to the maps.

At the present time this is still a test page and is not on-line. The Home Page will be put out on a test server. Once it is put on the test server it will be more difficult to make changes to it. Tom Curran would like to have the Home Page up by July 30 in order to solicit comments. Having the Home Page up and running may serve as motivation to get the other Work Groups moving on their products. The 'Frequently Asked Questions' section and work group descriptions should prod them to produce materials, or make changes to what is posted.

The "What is FACA?" link was taken from the fact sheet. Suggestions on other language for the Communication & Outreach link's description are welcome. Tom Curran noted that the map capability of Internet is much better than the bulletin board.

Kathy Ellis asked what members should do if contacted via the addresses listed on the Home Page. She said there needs to be a central place to direct these comments. Nancy Seidman noted the possibility that providing members' e-mail addresses might result in their winding up on unwanted list servers.

Ron White reiterated the need for a process to respond to questions and comments resulting from the Home Page. Members will be confronted with the issue of objectivity in their responses to questions and what to do with eccentric responders. Tom Curran said this is a good issue to bring to the Coordination committee.

Satellite Downlink

On July 11, 1996, as part of the Clean Air Act update satellite downlink, a 1 to 1.5 hour presentation of ozone/PM material will be made. This will be done by EPA and will include other EPA/Office of Air and Radiation topics. In September, there will be a 4-hour downlink emphasizing ozone/PM, health effects, and implementation. This downlink will be of a more general nature, as discussed in the last meeting, and will be put on by OAQPS' Education and Outreach Group. They will hire a professional host to ask the questions, which are scripted. There will also be an interactive component through faxed-in questions.

Downlinks to more targeted audiences will follow later. Tom Curran asked members to think about what to cover in these more-targeted downlinks. Alice Collingwood suggested they be targeted to a level 2 audience and designed to answer the questions of how, what, where, and who. Another member suggested they be designed to answer why this is being done and the possible "Are you sure this time?"-type question. Alice Collingwood said that because it is a health-based standard, it may be a good idea to use some people that are from organizations other than the EPA. Having a variety of people will add credibility.

The work group suggested that the downlinks emphasize balance, possibly include CASAC people, emphasize the FACA process, and discuss the implications of various options (key documents will be available by then). The implications of options can include impacts, what it means to me as..., and the relationship to existing programs. Ron White suggested they also cover strategies if possible. However, because implementation issues will not be far along by September, this may be difficult. Richard Paul suggested covering anticipated changes in existing implementation programs.

The audience for the September downlink is anticipated to be primarily professionals with a connection to air quality issues and universities. Quin Shea stressed the need to keep the price down. Previous downlinks have cost as much as $95 per attendee. Tom Curran will check on the cost of EPA downlinks versus those put on by the American Bar Association and whether State/local agency personnel have to pay to attend the EPA downlinks. The Work Group's short list of contacts will be used as a vehicle to invite people to the downlink sessions. It is still possible to add people to the short list of contacts.

Other Materials

STAPPA/ALAPCO is putting together a resource guide on State/local agency outreach materials. Nancy Kruger said it contains almost nothing about PM, and the materials on ozone are similar to each other. Bruce Carhart said the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) did an inventory of available materials last year. The OTC inventory is updated on a quarterly basis and there are some restrictions on certain materials. OTC will send their information resource guide to anyone who is interested.

Tom Curran said Nancy Kruger's list is a good starting point for the information clearinghouse. This list will probably be put on the Internet. Susan Bullard questioned whether the whole compendium, including other materials that may not be relevant to ozone/PM/RH, should be put on the Internet. Ron White said EPA could lay the groundwork by speaking at the Society for Environmental Journalists' events and follow this up later with more FACA information when it is available.