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APPENDIX A: NEJAC Model Plan for Public Participation (Checklist)

Please note that this checklist was developed by Federal agencies for use by federal and State agencies. It serves as an example of a process to be followed and does not include regulatory requirements. Please contact the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Environmental Justice for more information about the public participation process, within the regulatory framework.

1. Ensure that Agency's public participation policies are consistent with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act, the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.

2. Obtain Senior Management Support to ensure that the Agency's policies and activities are modified to ensure early, effective and meaningful public participation, especially with regard to Environmental Justice stakeholders. Identify Internal stakeholders and establish partnering relationships.

3. Use the following Guiding Principles in setting up all public meetings:

* Maintain honesty and integrity throughout the process

* Recognize community/indigenous knowledge

* Encourage active community participation

* Utilize cross-cultural formats and exchanges

4. Identify external Environmental Justice stakeholders and provide opportunities to offer input into decisions that may impact their health, property values and lifestyles. Consider at a minimum individuals from the following organization as appropriate:

. Environmental Organizations

. Business and Trade Organizations

. Civic/Public Interest Groups

. Grassroots/Community-based Organizations

. Congress

. Federal Agencies

. Homeowner and Resident Organizations

. International Organizations

. Labor Unions

. Local and State Government

. Media/Press

. Indigenous People

. Tribal Governments

. Industry

. White House

. Religious Groups

. Universities and Schools

5. Identify key individuals who can represent various stakeholder interests. Learn as much as possible about stakeholders and their concerns through personal consultation, phone or written contacts. Ensure that information gathering techniques include modifications for minority and low- income communities, for example, consider language/ cultural barriers, technical background, literacy, access to respondent, privacy issues and preferred types of communication.

6. Solicit stakeholder involvement early in the policy making process, beginning in the planning and development stages and continuing through implementation and oversight.

7. Develop co-sponsoring/co-planning relationships with community organizations, providing resources for their needs.

8. Establish a central point of contact within the Federal agency to assist in information dissemination, resolve problems and to serve as a visible and accessible advocate of the public's right to know about issues that affect health or environment.

9. Regionalize materials to insure cultural sensitivity and relevance. Make information readily accessible (handicap access, Braille, etc.) and understandable. Unabridged documents should be placed in repositories. Executive summaries/fact sheets should be prepared in layman's language. Whenever practicable and appropriate, translate targeted documents for limited English-speaking populations.

10. Make information available in a timely manner. Environmental Justice stakeholders should be viewed as full partners and Agency customers. They should be provided with information at the same time it is submitted for formal review to state, tribal and/or Federal regulatory agencies.

11. Ensure that personnel at all levels in the Agency clearly understand policies for transmitting information to Environmental Justice stakeholders in a timely, accessible and understandable fashion.

12. Establish site-specific community advisory boards where there is sufficient and sustained interest. To determine whether there is sufficient and sustained interest at a minimum, review correspondence files, review media coverage, conduct interviews with local community members and advertise in local newspapers. Ensure that the community representation includes all aspects and diversity of the population. Organize a member selection panel. Solicit nominations from the community. Consider providing administrative and technical support to the community advisory board.

13. Schedule meetings and/or public hearings to make them accessible and user-friendly for Environmental Justice stakeholders. Consider time frames that don't conflict with work schedules, rush hours, dinner hours and other community commitments that may decrease attendance. Consider locations and facilities that are local, convenient and which represent neutral turf. Ensure that facility meets American with Disabilities Act Statements for equal access. Provide assistance for hearing impaired individuals. Whenever practical and appropriate provide translators for limited- English speaking communities. Advertise the meeting and its proposed agenda in a timely manner in the print and electronic media. Provide a phone number and/or address for communities to find out about pending meetings, issues, enter concerns or to seek participation or alter meeting agenda.

Create an atmosphere of equal participation (avoid a "panel of experts" or "head table"). A two-day meeting is suggested with the first day reserved for community planning and education. Organize meetings to provide an open exchange of ideas and enough time to consider issues of community concern. Consider the use of a neutral facilitator who is sensitive and trained in a mechanism to provide communities with feedback after meetings occur on actions being considered.

14. Consider other vehicles to increase participation of Environmental Justice stakeholders including:

. Posters and Exhibits

. Participation in Civic and Community Activities

. Public Database and Bulletin Boards

. Surveys

. Telephone Hotlines

. Training and Education Programs, Workshops and Materials.

15. Be sure that trainers have a good understanding of the subject matter both technical and administrative. The trainers are the Ambassadors of this program. If they don't understand no one will.

16. Diversity in the workplace: whenever practical be sure that those individuals that are the decision makers reflect the intent of the Executive Order and come from diverse backgrounds, especially those of a community the agency will have extensive interaction with.

17. After holding a public forum in a community, establish a procedure to follow up with concrete actions to address the communities concerns. This will help to establish credibility for your agency as having an active role in the federal government.

18. Promote interagency coordination to ensure that the most far reaching aspects of environmental justice are sufficiently addressed in a timely manner. Environmental problems do not occur along departmental lines. Therefore, solutions require many agencies and other stakeholders to work together efficiently and effectively.

19. Educate stakeholders about all aspects of environmental justice (functions, roles, jurisdiction, structure and enforcement).

20. Ensure that research projects identify environmental justice issues and needs in communities, and how to meet those needs through the responsible agencies.

21. Establish interagency working groups (at all levels) to address and coordinate issues of environmental justice.

22. Provide information to communities about the government's role as it pertains to short term and long term economic and environmental needs and health effects.

23. Train staff to support inter and intra agency coordination, and make them aware of the resources needed for such coordination.

24. Provide agency staff who are trained in cultural, linguistic and community outreach techniques.

25. Hold workshops, seminars and other meetings to develop partnerships between agencies, workers and community groups. (Ensure mechanisms are in place to ensure that partnerships can be implemented via cooperative agreements, etc.)

26. Provide effective outreach, education and communications. Findings should be shared with community members with an emphasis on being sensitive and respectful to race, ethnicity, gender, language, and culture.

27. Design and implement education efforts tailored to specific communities and problems. Increase the involvement of ethnic caucuses, religious groups, the press, and legislative staff in resolution of Environmental Justice issues.

28. Assure active participation of affected communities in the decision making process for outreach, education, training and communities programs--including representation on advisory councils and review committees.

29. Encourage federal and state governments to "reinvent government"--overhaul the bureaucratic in favor of community responsive.

30. Link environmental issues to local economic issues to increase level of interest.

31. Use local businesses for environmental cleanup or other related activities.

32. Utilize, as appropriate, historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Minority Institutions(MI), Hispanic Serving Colleges and Universities(HSCU) and Indian Centers to network and form community links that they can provide.

33. Utilize, as appropriate local expertise for technical and science reviews.

34. Previous to conducting the first agency meeting, form an agenda with the assistance of community and agency representatives.

35. Provide "open microphone" format during meetings to allow community members to ask questions and identify issues from the community.

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APPENDIX B - Directory of Environmental Justice Groups in Region IV

ALABAMA

Ezra Cunningham
Beat10 Action Group
Route 1,P.O.Box K34
Beatrice, AL 36425
(205) 789-2256

Charles Adair, Jr.
The Coalition for Environmental Consciousness
44 Main St.
Ridgeville, AL 35954
(205) 570-0386

Cleo Askew
Federation of Southern Coops, Land Assistance Fund
P.O. Box 95
Epes, AL 35460
(205) 652-9676

Montgomery Clean City Commission
P.O. Box 1111
Montgomery, AL 36192
(205) 241-2175

Pine Grove Concerned Citizens
Bennett Rd.13-865
York AL 36925
(205) 652-2754

Daisy Carter
Project Awake
Rt.1,Box 282
Coatopa,AL 35470
(205) 652-2161

Suzanne Marshall
Serving Alabama Future Environment
700 8th Avenue NE
Jacksonville,AL 36265
(205) 782-5611

Dr. Owen Patton
Southern Rainbow Education Project (SREP)
46 E. Patton Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36105
(205) 288-5754

Cassandra Roberts
Sweetvalley/Cobb Town EJ Taskforce
P.O. Box 531
Eastaboga, AL 36260
(205) 831-7600

Carol Zippert
WACC: Institute for Human Development
P.O.Box 809
Eutaw, AL 35462
(205) 372-3344

Fred Ezell
West Alabama Farmer Association
P.O.Box 95
Epes, AL 35460
(205) 652-9676

FLORIDA

MaVynee Betsch
Black Rhino Vegetarian Society
Route 3, P.O.Box 292
American Beach, FL 32034
(904) 261-3468

Tirso Moreno
Farmworker Association of Central Florida
815 S. Park Ave.
Apoka, FL 32703
(407) 886-5151

Leola McCoy
Neighborhood Issues and Prevention,Inc.
1750 NW 24 Terrace
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
(954) 735-0865

GEORGIA

Arnold Weathersby
Carver Hills Neighborhood Association, Inc.
P.O.Box 93947
Atlanta, GA 30377
(404) 799-5382

Dr. Mildred McClain
Citizens for Environmental Justice
P.O. Box 1841
Savannah, GA 31401
(912) 233-0907

Rev. Brenda Iglehart
Citizens League Opposed to Unwanted Toxins (CLOUT)
1107 Lower Brookfield Rd.
Tifton, GA 31794
(912) 382-9767

James Sackor
Environmental Research Foundation
504 College Dr.
Social Sciences, Albany State College
Albany, GA 31705
(912) 430-4813

Charles Utley
Hyde Park Improvement Comm.
3417 Sutton Place
Augusta, GA 30906
(706) 793-5309

John Smith
Minority Health Professionals Foundation
720 Westview Dr.SW.
Atlanta, GA 30310
(404) 752-1973

Faye Bush
Newtown Florist Club
1067 Desota St.
Gainsville, GA 30501
(706) 536-1359

Arthur Smith,Jr.
One In A Million Inc.
2040 Walnut St.
Augusta, GA 30901
(706) 793-5309

Shirley Jordan
People Working for People
P.O.Box 1214
Tifton, GA 31794
(912) 387-7893

Zack Lyde
Save The People
1401 Monck St.
Brunswick,GA 31520
(912) 267-4857

Dr. Bob Homes
Southern Center for Studies in Public Policy
Clark Atlanta University
Atlanta,GA 30314
(404) 880-8089

Connie Tucker
Southern Organizing Committee for Economic and Social Justice, Environmental Justice Project
P.O.Box 10518
Atlanta, GA 50310
(404) 755-2855

Gary Drury
The Glynn Environmental Coalition
Route 9,Box281
St. Simons Island, Georgia 31522
(912) 638-6852

Barbara Sullivan
Toxic Communications and Assistance Project
Albany State College
504 College Drive
(912) 430-4823

Marvin Crafter
Woolfolk Citizens Response Group
P.O. Box 899
Fort Valley, GA 31030
(912) 825-8261

Lillie Webb
Work Action Key Efforts In Uniting People (WAKEUP, Inc.)
P.O.Box 572
107B Broad St.
Sparta, GA 31087
(706) 444-5896

Allen Booker
Youth Initiative Project
P.O.Box 1114
Brunswick, GA 31520
(912) 265-9335

Angela Brown
Youth Task Force
495 Culberson St.
Gainsville,GA30310
(404) 752-8275

KENTUCKY

Rev. Louis Coleman
Justice Resource Center
P.O. Box 75
Shelbyville, KY 40065
(502) 776-7688

Ann Braden
Kentucky Alliance
P.O.Box 1543
Louisville, KY 40201
(502) 776-7874

MISSISSIPPI

John Gibson
African American Network for Environmental Justice (AAEJ)
Star Route,
P.O. Box 7A
Brooks, MS 39739
(601) 738-4568

Helen Taylor
Brickfire
101 N.Jefferson St.
Starkville, MS 39759
(601) 323-5321

Charlotte Keys
Jesus People Against Pollution (JPAP)
P.O. Box 765
Columbia, MS 39429
(601) 736-0686

Ann Brown
Rural Orgainizing and Culture Center
103 Swinney Lane
Lexington, MS 39095
(601) 834-3080

Leroy Johnson
Southern Echo, Inc.
P.O.Box 10433
Jackson, MS 39289
(601) 352-1500

Rev.James Black
UJAMA Project
2542 Brighton Cirle
Biloxi, MS 39531
(601) 863-3739

NORTH CAROLINA

Larry Oxendine
Center for Community Action
Route 1,P.O.96B
Rowland, NC 28383
(919) 521-3129

Bernice Sessoms
Center for Women's Economic Alternatives
P.O. Box 1033
212 N. Maple St.
Ahoskie, NC 27910
(919) 332-4179

Jean McDonald
Eufaula St. Landfill Committee
744 Eufaula St.
Fayetteville, NC 28301
(901) 323-2465

Gary Grant
Halifax Environmental Loss Prevention (HELP)
P.O.Box 61
Tillery, NC 27887
(919) 826-3244

David Harris
Land Loss Prevention Project
P.O. Box 179
Durham, NC 27702
(919) 682-5969

John Worchek
North Carolina Fair Share
P.O.Box 12543
Raleigh, NC 27605
(919) 832-7130

Angaza Sababu
Shiloh Coaltion for Community Control & Improvement
Route 2, P.O.
Box 77
Shiloh in Morisville, NC 27560
(919) 941-5716

Leah Wise
Southerns for Economic Justice, Inc.
P.O.Box 240
Durham, NC 27702
(919) 683-1361

Helen Denham
Student Environmental Action Coalition
P.O.Box 1168
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

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