DATE:	August 7, 1996

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

I.	PURPOSE

An in-person Communication & Outreach Work Group meeting took place on July 29, 1996 to discuss ongoing activities, maps and databases, satellite downlinks, issue papers, a brochure, and to demonstrate the Website. 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, OTC - for Bruce Carhart

Kathy Ellis, DOD

Nancy Kruger, STAPPA/ALAPCO

Richard Paul, AAMA

Caryl Pfeiffer, Kentucky Utilities Co.

Nancy Seidman, Massachusetts DEP

Quin Shea, NMA

Scott Thomas, Oklahoma DEQ

Work Group members not in Attendance:

Margaret Cook, Intertribal Council of Arizona

Tad Aburn, MDE

Jayne Mardock, Clean Air Network

Sandy Stash, ARCO

Other EPA attendees: Karen Borel (Region IV), Susan Bullard (OMS).

Other non-EPA attendees: Bill Becker, STAPPA/ALAPCO, Eric Schweitzer, EC/R Incorporated (EPA Contractor support).

III.	MEETING SUMMARY

Action items

1)	Jan Kleeman asked members to send comments to her on the Website as soon as possible.

2)	Members were encouraged to send any comments on the 7 fact sheets that are available on the Website to Jan Kleeman.

3)	Tom Curran liked the suggestions of "Regulating Particulate and Ozone Air Pollution, or "Regulating Smog and Particle Air Pollution" and will look into using one of these as the new, more accessible Home Page title.

4)	A list of all the issue papers being worked on by the Work Groups was passed out. Members are encouraged to think about being the contact person for an issue(s).

5)	The development of a brochure is scheduled to begin after the next teleconference meeting. Members were asked to consider ideas for incorporation into the brochure.

Other items to note:

1)	Schedule for upcoming meetings and teleconference calls:

Date	Time	Call-in Number

August 15, 1996	12:30-2:00 EDT	(919) 541-1596

August 29, 1996	12:30-2:00 EDT	(202) 260-7280 (2943#)

September 12, 1996	12:30-2:00 EDT	(202) 260-7280 (2943#)

2)	The Ozone/PM/RH FACA Website is now available. The address is: http://ttnwww.rtpnc.epa.gov/html/ozpmrh/facahome.htm

Also, the TTN web site is now operational. The address is: http://ttnwww.rtpnc.epa.gov

Several members noted that downloading TTN files is much quicker on the Internet.

3)	There will be an Ozone/PM NAAQS ANPR public meeting in St. Louis, MO on August 5, 1996.

4)	There will soon be access to the O3/PM/RH FACA Home Page via EPA's OAR Home Page and OAQPS' Home Page now has an icon to link to the new TTN website.

5)	There will be a satellite downlink on ozone and PM health effects in the beginning of October and possibly one after the proposal in late November.

IV.	SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION

Demonstration of Home Page

The meeting began with Jan Kleeman's demonstration of the O3/PM/RH FACA Website, which was made available July 25. The address is: http://ttnwww.rtpnc.epa.gov/html/ozpmrh/facahome.htm

The TTN web site is also now operational. The address is: http://ttnwww.rtpnc.epa.gov

Most Web browsers allow users to place a bookmark at a specified location, thus eliminating the need to retype cumbersome addresses on each visit. There will soon be access to the O3/PM/RH FACA Home Page via EPA's OAR Home Page and OAQPS' Home Page now has an icon to link to the TTN web site.

Much of the information provided in the Home Page was taken from the 7 fact sheets. The Home Page features sections on background and general information, frequently asked questions, options under consideration, maps and databases, technical background, control program implementation issues, air quality: current status and trends, technology transfer network, and how to comment. Richard Paul asked whether it is necessary to have a page of material on the web site concerning stratospheric ozone. Jan Kleeman asked members to send comments to her on the web site as soon as possible.

Nancy Seidman suggested adding an additional link to the FAQ's other than through the FACA Home Page, for those who may be searching for basic air pollution information. She also noted that there is no means to send comments to Work Group members under the "How to Comment" link, instead the comments link describes the process of submitting comments to the docket.

Bill Becker suggested re-naming the FACA Home Page. He wonders whether someone such as a high school student looking for information on air pollution would see the title of the Home Page and be scared off. Ron White suggested that a simple link such as "information on air pollution" be added to EPA's OAR Home Page. Tom Curran suggested using a "what's new" link. Bill Becker expressed concern that even if the FACA Home Page is linked to OAR's, unless the title is changed to something more accessible, people may just pass over it. He suggested having the FACA Home Page linked to each mention of particles on EPA's Home Page. Scott Thomas noted that a keyword search in a search engine such as Yahoo will locate the FACA Home Page.

Ron White suggested "Implementing Ozone/PM/RH air pollution programs" as a potential substitute for the present Home Page title of FACA Subcommittee for Ozone/PM/RH Implementation Programs. Tom Curran liked the suggestions of "Regulating Particulate and Ozone Air Pollution, or "Regulating Smog and Particle Air Pollution" and will look into using one of these as the new, more accessible Home Page title.

Jan Kleeman demonstrated the maps and databases link. It is not possible to click on an individual state within the U.S. maps to get county-scale information; and it is unclear at the present time whether that capability will exist in the future. Scott Thomas expressed the desire to see a map of all U.S. counties with ozone monitors. The data used to generate the maps are available by clicking the diskette icons. Alice Collingwood stressed the need for the Work Group to consider the difficulty some users may have in accessing the Home Page when considering the Internet as a communication tool.

Tom Curran noted that the maps on the Home Page area essentially the same as the API maps. However, there are still a few rural counties that need to be included in the maps. Nancy Kruger noted that there are more recent maps available. Tom Curran said that the PMfine maps were removed from the Home Page because they were not in the final PM Staff Paper. He said that any maps present in the Staff Paper will be put on the Home Page. Jan Kleeman also demonstrated a nationwide annual visibility map which is representative of regional haze.

The TTN is now accessible via the Internet in addition to the old system, and several members like it more than the old interface. For instance, downloading files through the TTN web site is much faster. Tom Curran said that a method to mimic the old TTN discussion areas on the Home Page is still under development.

Update on Ongoing Activities

Tom Curran said that there is a desire to add representatives from small businesses to the Work Groups and possibly the Subcommittee.

There will be another Ozone/PM NAAQS ANPR public meeting in St. Louis, MO. on August 5, 1996.

Ron White provided the Work Group with a synopsis of the July 25 Ozone/PM NAAQS ANPR meeting in Philadelphia, PA. There were about 100 attendees. The session was divided into two parts: health/environmental effects and standards in the morning, and implementation issues in the afternoon. Expert panel members each spoke for 15 minutes. Morning audience speakers were divided about 50/50 between environmental/public health groups and industry, while afternoon speakers were primarily from industry.

Quin Shea also gave his perspective on the meeting. He noted that most participants were from three states: Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, and included school teachers, environmentalists, and industry representatives, especially from the chemical industry. Industry's main concern was about implementation issues, especially nonattainment designations resulting in the inability to get permits, and diminished opportunities for economic growth. He also described the presentations by three medical doctors. He expressed frustration over the lack of participation/interaction by Mike McCabe (the EPA Region III Administrator) and the panelists. He thinks more such interaction would increase the efficacy of the meetings. Ron White noted that the lack of time precluded getting to the question and answer period, which was an agenda item. He noted the trade-off between allowing everyone to speak and having time for interaction between those more deeply involved with the issues, and people such as Mary Nichols and the panelists.

Several ideas were suggested to improve the meetings. Quin Shea recommended setting a deadline for speakers to sign up. Ron White suggested setting aside a limited number of speaker slots on a first-come-first-served basis. He noted, however, that this would not be feasible because of the dissatisfaction it would cause. Quin Shea recommended mentioning how people can get more information at the public meetings and letting people speak in the order in which they signed up. Bill Becker and Ron White thought the Agency should be commended for holding the public meetings. Tom Curran noted that EPA's travel budget limitations have prevented some of the most well informed staff members from attending the meetings.

List of Available Materials

Six of the seven fact sheets are now available on the FACA Home Page. The remaining fact sheet on the final PM Staff Paper will be posted next week. Members were encouraged to send any comments on the fact sheets to Jan Kleeman as soon as possible.

TTN Website

The TTN became available on the World Wide Web on July 15. Users can now access the board through the web or via dial-up as they have in the past. There is a single file base, so that everyone sees the same files, no matter which access method they choose to get to the TTN. One board ( probably CAA or the O3/PM/RH FACA) will be chosen to experiment with a more user-friendly interface. The more technical boards will have caveats posted at their entrance about the technical nature of the material. Tom Curran noted that the old bulletin board still receives about 1000 calls per day, so it is important not to abandon these users. The new TTN website is easier to edit, but there currently is no technology to hide certain areas on the world wide web. One method of dealing with this is to password protect certain pages. These pages could also have no links to other pages.

Satellite Downlinks

There will be a satellite downlink on Ozone and PM health effects in the beginning of October, and possibly one after the proposals in late November. Tom Curran said he is getting feedback that there is a need for a great deal of basic information to be disseminated to people at all levels.

Available Support

Now that EPA's budget for FY '96 has finally come through, there is some money available for O3/PM/RH FACA outreach materials. Some funds have been transferred to STAPPA/ALAPCO for this purpose, and the remaining funds will be used by EPA to fund a contractor to develop a brochure.

Bill Becker said that one of the best ways to disseminate information is to make sure that those who receive it share it aggressively with others. He suggested developing both a low-cost and high-cost plan for reaching the general public. The plans should push the important buttons needed to reach people and compile all good ideas into a comprehensive strategy for public outreach. This will be important regardless of the level the standard is set at and even after the standard comes out.

Ron White said there probably needs to be a greater communication effort and the question is whether this is something the work group should take on, or EPA. He sees this expanded effort as not so much about the details concerning the FACA process, but rather about air pollution's effects. Bill Becker said the FACA Subcommittee is serving as the conscience of the Agency because someone needs to be looking over the Agency's shoulder to make sure it is on track. Susan Bullard said that the Communication & Outreach Work Group can provide recommended actions/options to the Agency as part of the solution to the outreach problem.

Ron White asked the Work Group whether a much broader Communication & Outreach plan should be developed. Richard Paul mentioned that it would be expensive. Ron White said states are urging EPA to take public outreach seriously; even beyond the FACA process. They stress that the public needs to be well-informed on why they are being asked to make behavioral changes. Quin Shea said the public meetings are a positive step, but fiscal limitations may preclude doing many more. Ron White said that there are ways to reprogram funds, and urged the Work Group to think outside of the fiscal limitation box. Discretionary funds may be available. Ron White suggested the use of public service messages. Many people see the need for ongoing public outreach. Some states have had a rude awakening concerning outreach via backlash on several programs, most notably reformulated gasoline. Susan Bullard said EPA has a responsibility to do outreach, the question is whether the Agency will do it or others.

Quin Shea made a distinction between the process and the message. Although the message is more contentious, he thinks Ron White and he could craft a one-pager together to be used as a joint op-ed.

Kathy Ellis suggested using a FACA "activist kit" much like the folder that was passed around at the previous face-to-face meeting, which included various materials and can be tailored to their clients. Bill Becker recommended having each of EPA's 10 regions hold public meetings in affected areas. The meetings could be publicized with a one-page fact sheet and could be followed up by a series of regional meetings to enable locals to be involved. He was not sure whether this should take place before or after the proposal. Even if it took place after the proposal, there would still be time for public comment, although the time frame (December and January) is not ideal.

Ron White expressed concern that even a regional meeting regime would attract participants similar to the recent public meetings, (i.e., not predominately the general public). He thinks an ongoing and far-reaching program is still necessary and that planning for an effort of this magnitude should begin about 1.5 years in advance. He also said that part of the success of a revised NAAQS will depend on an informed public. The Work Group will not craft the whole program, but rather stress the need for one. Susan Bullard stressed that EPA needs to hear that message from this Work Group. She said it may be time for the Work Group to advise EPA on what needs to be done for outreach and to urge EPA to get moving. Tom Curran said EPA must do the outreach because the Work Group will not agree on the content of the message. Kathy Ellis thinks the public will not show great interest until they begin to feel the impacts.

Scott Thomas asked members for ideas on successful models the Work Group can use. Susan Bullard mentioned the Community Right to Know Act, but said that the public understood the issue better in that case. Bill Becker suggested using models from other Federal programs.

Quin Shea questioned whether the Work Group should go on record to let EPA know what needs to be done to improve outreach. Susan Bullard suggested first trying to work within the FACA Subcommittee process. Tom Curran agreed with her and recommended that Quin share his views at the Subcommittee meeting.

STAPPA/ALAPCO has suggested that every state and local agency get a copy of their book entitled Controlling Fine Particulate Matter Under the Clean Air Act: A Menu of Options and is also creating a video on particle air pollution for information dissemination purposes. Bill Becker reminded members not to rely exclusively on FACA for communication and outreach.

Richard Paul wants more details on an expanded Communication & Outreach effort before agreeing to it. He recommended that someone put their ideas about what this means on paper to move the process along. Ron White clarified that he was primarily addressing the need for a longer-term program, especially beyond June 1997, during the implementation phase. Bill Becker said the feedback the Work Group might get from EPA is "What did you have in mind?" Ron White said providing the general public with basic information on these pollutants and why this is important to them, rather than urging specific outreach vehicles, should be the immediate focus. Towards this end some examples might be given, but the main point is to alert the Agency to start thinking along these lines and to set aside money for this during the implementation phase.

Regardless of whether Work Group members agree on the details of the pollution problem, Ron White stressed that EPA has responsibility to explain the problem to the public and how they might be affected by implementation of the new NAAQS. Rather than developing the strategy, he sees the Work Group stressing that states will need public support to successfully implement controls. Bill Becker warned that the Subcommittee will ask for specific ideas and suggested the Work Group give thought to what is specifically lacking before making suggestions to the Subcommittee. Ron White said it is acceptable to raise the issue without having the answers ready. He wants the issue on the table to get feedback from the Subcommittee. Susan Bullard said the Subcommittee might say it is already aware of the importance of outreach, which is why the Work Group was formed.

Bill Becker recommended making the Work Group's position known, while committing to developing a suite of ideas to be implemented in the next 6 to 12 months. Some of these can be done by EPA and some by other groups, but the Work Group should make sure all bases are covered. This will raise the issue on EPA's radar screen. Richard Paul noted that some ideas may reach beyond the Subcommittee's charge and thus not be appropriate.

Issue Papers

Tom Curran briefly provided background information on the issue papers and handed out the list of issue paper topics with the responsible Work Group and the dates for Subcommittee discussion.

Brochure

Over the next two months a contractor will begin to design a brochure, and work group members need to provide ideas about what messages it should contain. This will be a discussion topic at the next teleconference meeting.