Community Involvement in Environmental Excellenceinfohouse.p2ric.org/ref/15/14237.pdf · nilturd resc,urce-bnsetl r,icreation. To I-C'CC i ... A Case Study of Citizen ... among DOE’S

He will receive many gifts in his lifetime, kVhat will t h e most important one be?

eth's parents are members of the South Carolina Wild- life Federation. Both sets of grandparents are members too. Their membership dollars help to establish poli- cies that sustain. protect and enhance the natural

systems that give life to LIS all. Along with other South CLirnlina citizens. they understand the urgency of promoting sound stewxdship of our natural resources. The most inipor- rnnt sift the): want to give Seth. and Seth's children. is the o?por.Lunity to enJoy the w n e natural heritage and outdoor recrsation that they have learned to love and appreciate.

Since its founding by sportsmen i n 193 1 . the South Cnrolina h'iidife Fecler- ation has maintained a diverse inrmberrhip and sustained its role as the trusted voice i n conservation. From hunter to bird- \vat c h c' r. :e ac hz r to backpacker. g11dcni:r to i'ilimi.r. membership in S C ~ V F is an i n \ e s t m e n t in South Carolina's future.

The -South Camlina Wildlife Federation

onstant development. both industrial and housing, continues to destroy or alter wildlite kibitat 3s South Carolina's hiiniiin population grows. The SCWF's wildlife habitat programs serve hoIneo\\.ilers. corpo-

rat e 1 an dow ne rs . s c h oo 1 s and co mm u n i t y gr o ii p .;--bu i 1 d i n 2 ; network of habitats ;lcross the state.

As South Carolina gro~vs. the quality o f growth will depend on how u.e manage our. nstural resourzs . We ail h~ive a stake in our land. water. nildlife. air. timber and the heritage tve pass on to future generations. hlaintaininz a sound natural znvironnxnt is one of the most precious gifts that we can give.

We invite ;;ou tojoi:i the SCJVF and wtir'i 1,v:th LIS 3 s 5 . c ~

educate individuals to understand and act on beh::lf of wildlife. and natural resourcs: ?ticourage government m c i the private sector to usc o ~ i r naturnl resources responsibly: ;icJ promote rcsponsibie outdoor ethics by those who engage in hLlntit1:. tishin:. :uid :ill other. ni l turd resc,urce-bnsetl r,icreation. To I-C'CC i \i i: ;I nid n t x r h i p .ip p 1 i<:i t ;on. o r iiii'on::nrii~r,n ab^ i i ! G;il

progains of the SCWF. call 803-256-0670 or visit our it-ebsite at wwvw.sc\vf.x-s.

. .

n n S .................... ..................................................... Volume 2 Number 4 Environmental Excellence in South Carolina

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26 27 28 28

guest commentary Administrations Change, Environmental Needs Don’t --Jim Cumberland

commissioner’s column -Douglas E. Bryant SC DHEC

opening thoughts -Eric H Snider

annual index environmental hotlines contactslresources e2 on the web

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10

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Rockin’ the Church: Community Involvement in the Superfund Process Too often communities have been left out of the process when it came to Superfund cleanups. They might have received information, but they could not get their message back to the decision-makers. In one community, however, the process has worked as it should.-Eugene C. McCall, JK

The Neighborhood Environmental Partnership:A Case Study of Citizen Involvement Many communities across the country are “left out of the loop” when it comes to industrial decisions and operations that have a direct bearing on their immediate environments. But active community involvement-as in the Neighborhood Environmental Partnershi-an make a big difference.-Bob Holmes and Lynn W Miller

Communicating Risk Dealing with the Media When a facility has an accident that could carry risks to health and to the environment, a timely, accurate communication of those risks becomes essential. During such crises, the news media can play a vital role in conveying your message to the public. But does your team know how to deal with the media?-Sonya Forte Duhe‘

Phinizy Swamp Nature Park Environmental Education and 0 u treac h Located in the historic Savannah River floodplain, Phinizy Swamp Nature Park offers visitors a chance to interact with nature in a “mini-Okefenokee” setting. The park promotes environmental stewardship through its educational programs, research programs, and public events. And it’s only minutes away from downtown Augusta, Georgia.

Wildlife Habitats at Home,Work, and Play As South Carolina becomes increasingly developed, less land is available for wildlife. Corporate owners, schools, and others can offset this loss by employing their unused or underused lands as wildlife habitats. Here’s a quick look at various habitat programs in the state.-Joyce E. Peters

guest commentary Administrations Change, Environmental Needs Don’t-Jim Cumberland

The election of Republican George W. Bush as president likely will bring some significant changes to U.S. environmental policy. It is unlikely that the incoming Bush administration will pursue an agenda similar to that of the Clinton administration. Nevertheless, the new administration would do well to support or strengthen a number of important environmental programs that are especially critical to South Carolina.

For example, the U.S. Department of Energy has several environmental programs critical to the welfare of South Carolina’s citizens and their environment. Most important among DOE’S environmental programs is the cleanup of the nuclear weapons plants, such as the Savannah River Site. These sites have a fifty-year record of environmental contamination and adverse impacts on the health of workers and nearby residents. Cleanup of these sites is of critical importance for both our state and the nation. Admittedly, this cleanup will be expensive and time- consuming. The new administration should not allow any reduction in the efforts currently underway to clean up the nuclear weapons program’s toxic legacy.

Another agency with a critical environmental mission

in South Carolina is the U.S Army Corps of Engineers. The U.S. Supreme Court’s January 9, 2001, decision in Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. U S . Army Corps of Engineers voided the Corps’ “Migratory Bird Rule” and placed what appear to be significant restrictions on the federal government’s ability to regulate isolated wetlands. The Corps’ ability to regulate the development of wetlands, especially isolated wetlands, is of extreme importance to South Carolina because, though our state has the largest percentage of wetlands in the Southeast, it has no comprehensive state wetlands protection program. Sev- eral state officials, including legislators and senior staff at the Department of Health and Environmental Control, have expressed concerns about the effect the Supreme Court’s holding will have on our state’s wetlands resources. A biparti- san group of our state senators has introduced a bill (S. 223) to create a comprehensive state program during this session of the state legislature. In the meantime, the new Bush administration should work actively to help the Corps address the damage to its juris- diction caused by the Solid Waste Agency decision.

Finally, the Department of

Defense is especially important to South Carolina because of its large presence in the state. We host the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, which is the main basic training center for recruits east of the Missis- sippi River. We also are home to Fort Jackson, one of the Army’s primary training bases. South Carolina also is home to a large number of other important military installations. Three of our state’s bases-the Charleston Air Force Base; the Naval Weapons Station, Charleston; and the U.S. Naval Hospital, Beaufort-are members of the South Carolina Environmental Excellence Pro- gram. I only recently moved to South Carolina; however, in the short time I have been here I have been impressed with the level of commitment to environmental quality exhibited by the military in our state (both the regular services and the National Guard). This commitment includes fostering and implementing environmental protection programs, especially pollution prevention and recycling programs. The Clinton administration actively encour- aged these activities. It would be a shame, and a great loss for our military and our nation, if the Bush administration fails to provide these programs with the support that they have

earned and that they deserve. The military traditionally has been one of the nation’s largest polluters, and also one of the largest consumers of both hazardous and nonhazardous materials. But it is able to make great strides in environmental protection without compromising its core mission of protecting the U.S. and its citizens. President Bush, as the com- mander in chief, should do all he can to support and further the progress the military has made (and continues to make). He should encourage the military’s efforts in environmental protection and its development of new technologies and programs for addressing environmental issues. ESC

Jim Cumberland. J.D.. is the senior research associate with the Center for Environmental Policy at USC’s Institute of Public Affairs.

2 Environmental Excellence in South Carolina

commissioner’s column Douglas E. Bryant, SC DHEC

As the Department of Health and Environmental Control finalizes work on our agency’s 200G2005 Strategic Plan, I am struck by how much our mission of health and environmental excellence for South Car- olina depends on community involvement and commitment. We recognize that good health for all South Carolinians and a safe, beautiful place to live involve more than the work of a single state agency. Com- munities are now joining with DHEC to support our common goals. And we are recognizing more and more the close ties between a healthy environment, healthy citizens, and a high quality of life.

views on how best to protect our environment, but I truly believe that the people of South Carolina do care about the environment. And we are fortunate to have many ongoing projects that stress community involvement in environmental excellence. Local solutions to local problems is more than just a catch phrase to our agency-it is a core value that guides the way we strive to do business. And the examples of how this philosophy is working are numerous.

The first example that comes to mind is how DHEC,

People may have different

local governments, and the public have been able to increase South Carolina’s recycling rate every year since the state’s recycling program began in 1992. We now recycle 45 percent of South Carolina’s total solid waste stream. More than 14 million tons of solid wastes have been recycled since this program began. Fees collected by the state from new tires, appliances, automotive batteries, and motor oil have funded recycling programs in communities throughout the state. These communities have embraced recycling programs and have supplied the initiative to recycle while DHEC has provided the funding and technical assistance.

DHEC’s Water Watch stewardship program began in 1996 and now involves more than fifty local groups doing various projects throughout South Carolina to protect our water quality. These groups include both students and adults who have pledged their time to clean up, monitor, and learn more about local rivers, lakes, and streams. There is a Water Watch group in every major river basin in South Carolina, which we see as a direct reflec- tion of the high level of community interest and involvement in water protection.

The opportunity for community involvement also reaches into the realm of air quality. As a result of a major national environmental lawsuit in July of this year, residents in several counties in South Caro- lina will have the opportunity to do their part to improve the quality of the air we breathe. The settlement of this lawsuit against a national industry will provide over $400,000 for a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP). Through DHEC’s work with the Catawba Council of Govern- ments (COG), the SEP will establish a refueling infrastruc- ture for ethanol-based fuel. The Catawba COG will administer this project locally, overseeing the availability of this alternative fuel at sites in Chester, Union, Lancaster, and York counties. The major benefit of using ethanol-based fuel for vehicles is the reduction of air pollutants involved in the formation of ground-level ozone. By working together as partners, DHEC, the Catawba COG, and the four counties hope to provide a cleaner way of traveling.

And, finally, the Commu- nity Right-to-Know program is in its third year at DHEC. This program has taken a broad approach to gathering

and relating information to citizens on environmental impact. By using DHEC’s Geographic Information System (GIS) files and databases, the Charleston community-based Environmen- tal Protection Project was able to interpret and share information for local neighborhood residents on how large and small businesses in their areas affect the environment. With help from the Medical Univer- sity of South Carolina, DHEC’s Bureau of Air Quality, and our Trident district office, local residents were hired and trained to deliver pollution prevention information to more than 100 small businesses that are not typically covered by DHEC’s permitting program. The result is a cleaner environment and a better informed community.

and more that environmental protection begins at the local level. And while we often partner with federal and state agencies to protect the environment, we look forward to working with every citizen and every community to achieve the kind of future that we all want for South Carolina. 6%

At DHEC we realize more

Douglas E. Bryant is the commissioner of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Vol 2 No 4 3

The Governor’s Pollution Prevention Award recognizes those organizations in South Carolina committed to protecting our environment and reducing costs through innovative pollution prevention efforts.

Any South Carolina business, industrial facility or public sector organization may enter There are six categories: small, medium and large business or facility and federal, state and local government.

ufacturing Corp., Caterpillar Inc., Cherokee Finishing Co., Dayco Products, Dependable Drum Co., International Paper-Eastover, James River Corp., Marine Corps Air Sta- tion-Beaufort, Marine Corps Recruil Depot-Parris Island, Rhodia, Inc. and Richtex Brick-Hanson.

The awards will be presented at the loth S.C. Environmental Symposium, to be held October 3-5 2001 in Columbia, S.C.

If your company is doing good things for the environment, the Governor’s Pollution Prevention Award is designed for you. Call for your entry materials today-the deadline for this year’s award is June 1, 2001.

For an application or more information contact Christine Steagall, USC Institute of Public Affairs, at 803-777-7463 or steagall @ iopa. sc.edu.

Past winners include BMW Man-

opening thoughts Eric H. Snider

Community involvement. Sounds like repetition, doesn't it? Somewhat like component part or past history. To most of us, the word community implies a group of people with common interests and aspirations, even if just related to living in the same area. And, generally, such interests and aspirations lead to some level of involvement. Which leads to another repetitive term-neighborhood association!

Communities and neighborhoods often get involved in civic projects for the common good. Witness the numerous folks risking life and limb out on the roadsides picking up litter on a drizzly Saturday morning. And our communities are much better for the involvement and dedication shown by these stalwart souls.

issues, it takes a special level of interest and involvement to make a difference. It emphatically does not mean that you must have a technical degree

But when it comes to technical

and years of experience in the area. It does, however, demand a sincere interest in evaluating options and construc- tively helping decide what works best for the overall good.

In this issue of ESC, we've been most fortunate to have articles contrib- uted that broaden our perspectives on exactly what community involvement can mean in the context of achieving environmental excellence. In separate articles, we look at getting communities involved in the Superfund process and in industrial decisions affect- ing their communities. Another article explains how to deal with the news media in communicating risk.

On the "nature" side of community involvement, we visit Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, and also look at a few South Carolina programs aimed at providing wildlife habitats on unused or underused lands.

helps you in your quest for environmental excellence. 6%

As always, we hope this issue

Statement of Purpose The Huudwr WIlte Matupmmt b"h Fund was srPMished by

the South Grolina General Assembly as a part ofthe South Grolina Universities

Research and Education Foundation in 1989.

E& is published under the auspices of the Fund to serve the needs of

South Carolina's industries and citizens. EISC s e e k to inform its readers about -rch. technologies,

and sttategies that will help to meet the goal of environmental excellence by focusing on pnvmting

pollution before it has to be treated, stored, or discarded. Questions and comments about the

Fund or E,SC should be directed to: Executive Director. Institute of Public Afiirs, University of

South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208.

Vol 2 No 4 5

6

I-:ugene C. HcCall, It-. , I%.D., RE., 1 .D.

Environmental Excellence in South Carolina

was there. The bass guitar and drums set a deep, pulsating beat. The Georgia Mass Youth for Christ Choir was singing, swaying, and clap- I ping. The hundreds of people in the congrega-

tion were singing and clapping, too. And the floor, it was shaking; the church was literally rockin’. And, most amazing, the United States Environmental Pro- tection Agency (EPA) representatives were following along, singing and clapping, too. The members of the Arkwright community were leading, silent no more.

At least in writing, public participation and community involvement are stalwarts of the Super- fund process. But, in real life, this participation and involvement has not always been a successful process. There have been many times when the EPA, along with state and local governments, have gone through the motions, in concert with the responsible parties; the community has been left out. The community receives information, but often it’s been effectively a one-way street. The community cannot get its message back to the decision-makers.

To the credit of everyone involved in Arkwright, however, it’s working the way it should. The Ark- Wright community is an integral part of the process. The end result will be better because of this involvement and open communication.

Public Participation in the Superfund Process The requirements for community relations and public participation for sites under the authority of the Com- prehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (more commonly called Superfund) are spelled out in a section of the federal regulations called the National Contingency Plan (NCP). The NCP requires, to the extent practicable, that prior to commencing field work for the site investigation (formally called the Remedial Investigation or RI) that the EPA conduct interviews with local officials, community residents, public interest groups, or other interested or affected parties to solicit their concerns and information needs, and to learn how and when citizens would like to be involved in the Superfund process. In addition, the EPA must prepare a formal community relations plan (CRP) based on those interviews and other relevant information, specifying the community relations activities that the EPA expects to undertake to keep the public informed and to provide a forum to solicit continued public input.

The CRP is meant to ensure that the public has appropriate opportunities for involvement in a wide variety of site-related decisions, including investiga-

tion of the nature and extent of contamination of the site (the RI), evaluation of altematives (called the Feasibility Study or FS) and selection of the ultimate remedy for the site (called the Record of Decision or ROD).

As part of providing information, at least one information repository at or near the site is required. The repository is typically at a local library to provide convenient and comfortable access and includes an index of documents, relevant correspondence to and from the EPA, technical reports, summaries of reports and important information called Fact Sheets, and information describing technical assistance grants that may be available.

Public notices in the local newspaper and public meetings are to be held before each major step in the site remediation process to advise the public of the impending action and to solicit their input. Periodic mailings, typically the Fact Sheets that are intended to be plain-English summaries, are prepared and mailed to anyone who requests to be placed on the site mail- ing list.

In spite of this well-intentioned and, on paper, logical sequence of activities, truly successful community relations programs have been difficult to attain. Some agency officials have looked upon the public as the uninformed masses who must be given an opportunity to vent, but whose input is not truly listened to nor anticipated to be incorporated into the process. Because the EPA consists of environmental experts, they prefer listening to the experts hired to remediate the site and sometimes discount the opin- ions of nontechnical citizens.

From the public’s perspective, a recurring fun- damental problem is public apathy towards a site from anyone who doesn’t live right next door. When participation has taken place in the past, more often than not the participants have tended to be from the upper socioeconomic classes, whether individually or in the form of an organized environmental group; this situation has led to charges of elitism. It is also most notably a drain in terms of personal time and cost when an individual participates. Often the information repository consists of shelves or boxes of note- books, making the new Harry Potter novel look like a short story. It is truly a formidable task to read, and then assimilate, the information contained in the various correspondence and technical reports of a site information repository. And the public meetings can go on ad nauseam, with little in obvious accomplishments that can be readily discemed. It takes a truly dedicated individual or group of individuals to last

The community

receives

information, but

often it’s been

effectively a

one-way street.

The community

cannot get its

message back to

the decision-

makers .

Vol 2 No 4 7

In spite of a

well-intentioned

and, on paper,

logical sequence

of activities,

truly successful

community

relations

programs have

been difficult to

attain.

through the process, and come back again. Frustra- tion, inadequacy, distrustfulness, and alienation are terms commonly used by citizens to describe their experiences in participation in Superfund sites.

Most people are not comfortable being public speakers. The public meeting formats, most often conducted for these sites, however, force one to become a public speaker. A podium separated from the throng and located in front of a table of intimi- dating-but, more likely, simply bored-agency officials is the format often presented. Where community input has been effective, it has often been because those comfortable speaking in front of a crowd, most notably school teachers and preachers, have been the ones leading the way.

And then the end of the Superfund process is finally reached, usually many years down the road. And what do you have.. .a site that has been remedi- ated, at least to some degree, and one that, likely, is much less of an environmental threat than it was before, but still just a “site,” still a liability, and not an asset to the community.

The New Approach to Superfund The Superfund program has always allowed for cleanup of sites to some level other than that required for residential occupancy. In the early years, however, the EPA generally required cleanup to residential standards and ended the process. Over the past five years or so, the EPA has taken more of a forward look at future land use that would be reasonable cou- pled with a protective level of cleanup.

might actually occur at a site involves a sometimes separate set of participants and is outside of the prescribed Superfund remedy selection process. The EPA has realized, however, that at least contemplating and, hopefully, planning for possible end uses of the site sets the stage for converting this property from a liability to an asset for the community.

The process of determining what land uses

The Arkwright Dump:A Sight to Remember The thirty-acre Arkwright Dump is located at the eastem end of the Arkwright Community, along Fair- forest Creek and just outside of Spartanburg’s city limit. It lies unused, except as an area for occasional hunting of small game. A former fertilizer plant is located northwest of the landfill, and an operating chemical company is located west of the landfill. The textile namesake of the community, the Arkwright Mill, lies unused on the northwest end of the com-

munity. The community surrounding and in the midst of these facilities has a 96-percent African-American population. The community has clearly not participated in the economic success that has been the hall- mark of the South Carolina Upstate for the past few years.

plant structure brought this area to the attention of, and raised the ire of, several Arkwright residents. They contacted state officials and the EPA about the fertilizer plant and the adjacent landfill. And then they discovered the Environmental Justice (EJ) group of the EPA. Environmental Justice is relatively new and it is a powerful tool for minorities. Since Presi- dent Clinton’s 1994 Executive Order on Environmen- tal Justice, federal agencies have had a mandate to identify potential adverse environmental impacts on minority and low-income populations, to coordinate research and data collection, conduct public meetings, and develop interagency model projects. But EJ is a powerful tool only if you stick with it, and Re- Genesis did. Re-Genesis-what a great name!-has become a group of approximately 1,400 members from in and around the Arkwright community. In particular, their president, Harold Mitchell, called and called again, met and met again with industry, local, state, and federal officials. And now things are on the way.

The fertilizer company repurchased its property and then carefully demolished the remaining build- ings and cleaned up the surface of the property as a voluntary cleanup, all the while consulting with, meeting with, and keeping Re-Genesis informed as they progressed. The city of Spartanburg has taken the lead in addressing its former city dump. It entered into a consent order with the EPA and is now in the process of performing the fieldwork portion of the Remedial Investigation. The city holds frequent meetings with the EPA; members of Re-Genesis are always present, because they are a critical part in the anticipated conversion of this blighted land into an asset of the community.

The South African environmental delegation chose Arkwright as one of its stops, as it toured the United States, to hear and leam from the Re- Genesis success story of community involvement. A $20,000 environmental justice grant was awarded to the county to assist Re-Genesis. The city has awarded a $25,000 technical assistance grant to Re-Genesis to help its members understand and provide input on the technical aspects of the RUFS process. The EPA awarded a $100,000 Superfund Redevelopment

The haphazard demolition of the former fertilizer


Initiative grant to the county to assist in planning for redevelopment of the dump site after the remediation process has been completed. Hoped-for improvements to the community include improved housing, a technology center, a southeastern regional clinic, and a job training center. It will take more assistance to make this a success, but more is on the way.

mental Justice (IWG) has chosen Arkwright as one of its demonstration projects. The IWG consists of representatives from seventeen federal agencies and the White House. One action item for the IWG is to provide demonstration projects to learn how federal agencies can better collaborate to assist local problem-solving. At Arkwright, the Department of Trans- portation will work with the state of South Carolina to study and, hopefully, develop better transportation access for the community, connecting it directly to one or more major highways to provide access for future commercial development. The Department of Housing and Urban Development will work with the County to redevelop one or more housing subdivi- sions. The EPA will continue its oversight role in the cleanup of the former fertilizer plant and the Ark- Wright Dump. State and local governments, private industry, and banks will all be enlisted to play a part.

It always takes one or more key individuals to make something like this work. The most important

The Interagency Working Group on Environ-

one here has been Harold Mitchell. He has kept this train on the track, and it's moving much faster than anyone thought possible. The city has proposed, and the EPA has agreed in principle, to a very fast sched- ule, even as compared to the Superfund Accelerated Cleanup Model. Much of this impetus is to be cred- ited to Re-Genesis and Mr. Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell was a leader on the college football field at South Carolina State and USC until a knee injury halted his promising career. Albeit not intentional, he has embarked on another career as the leader of Re-Gene- sis. He has dedicated an extraordinary amount of time

Environmental

justice is a

powerful tool to this project. The EPA has recognized his efforts; he was recently appointed to the Executive Commit- tee of the National Environmental Justice Advisory

Come to the south side of Spartanburg in a few Council (NEJAC).

Genesis continues, the Arkwright Dump Site will

only if you stick

with it,and years. If the vision and pattern of success of Re-

have been transformed into a sight to behold and to remember; we think it will. ESC

Gene McCall, Ph.D., P.E., J.D. practices environmental law in Greenville, SC. The views expressed in this article are the author's and should not be attributed to other individuals or entities.

Re-Genesis did.

Mark Your Calendar for

Tife fog s e d c 4 d k

l5W-w Achieving Environmental Excellence: Meeting Global Challenges

October 3-5, 2001 Embassy Suites Columbia, SC

Keynote speaker: Ray Anderson, industry leader

Moderator: David Stanton of WIS-N A "CEO Roundtable" of distinguished business leaders CLE credits for attorneys (applied for) Technology fair and exhibits The Governor's Pollution Prevention Awards presentation

For more information contact Christine Steagall, USC Center for Environmental Policy, at 803-777-7463 or [email protected].

and environmental prize winner

S Y M P O S I U M

Vol 2 No 4 9

mailto:[email protected]

I O Environmental Excellence in South Carolina

C€N€ 1: A company sends out a press release proudly announcing its plans to expand its local

industrial plant, the one in your community. The business must be thriving and all is well for the neighborhood, right? Unfortunately, there’s one catch. This announcement is the first news you’ve heard about any plant expansions; no company official has ever bothered to discuss its plans with you and your neigh- bors, even though the environmental implications of those plans may be significant.

Scene 11: A company’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) shows substantial problems with pollution. As a result, the local community forms a committee that includes representatives from the neighborhood and from the company itself. The committee members meet and discuss the pollution problems and the associated risks to the environment and health of the community. Distrust and contentiousness characterize the early meetings, but, over time, the members build a good working relationship. The result? The company owns up to its environmental problems and invests a considerable sum of money into pollution prevention.

What distinguishes these two scenes is community involvement. As in the situation described in the first scene, many communities across the country are “left out of the loop” when it comes to industrial decisions and operations that have a direct bearing on their immediate environments. But, as exemplified in the second scene, community involvement can make a big difference. One successful means to community-industrial relations is the Neighborhood Environ- mental Partnership or NEP.

mental Justice grant from the U. s. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the NEP-strives to develop a model of cooperation between government, industry, and citizens to improve the environmental quality of communities near industrialized neighborhoods. This cooperation relies on a partnership and formal agreement to use pollution prevention to minimize adverse environmental impacts on the community.

ers, four local industries, the Southem Center for Studies in Public Policy (SCSPP) of Clark Atlanta University, and the Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD) of the Georgia Department of Natu- ral Resources served as the key partners in this effort. The strategy was to convince environmental community leaders and a select number of industry leaders that they could derive mutual benefits from their participation in the project. Representatives from the city of Atlanta, SCSPP, and P2AD met to identify indus-

Funded by a Pollution Prevention for Environ-

The city of Atlanta, twelve neighborhood lead-

try and neighborhood participants and held meetings separately with each group to discuss the project and their interests. Participants learned that the NEP was designed to: @ serve as a vehicle for communication among

neighborhoods, industries, and governments; @ encourage dialogue between industry and neigh-

borhood leaders to address concems and reach mutually beneficial solutions;

@ provide technical assistance to incorporate pollution prevention into industry operations and promote waste and emissions reduction in communities,

@ help industries achieve greater efficiency, cost savings, and long-term benefits for their operations and to benefit the surrounding neighborhoods; and

public education information. @ facilitate community access to technical and

Organization of the NEP Structure Initial efforts involved identifying pilot communities, establishing a framework, and forming a steering committee of community leaders and an Industry Advisory Group (IAG). Mayor Bill Campbell of Atlanta sent letters to 377 potential community leaders and corporate partners inviting each to become involved in the NEP initiative. Since the businesses and neighborhoods had little contact with each other and were wary of a face-to-face encounter, the project set off on two parallel tracks. The framework would involve the creation of two entities: (1) an IAG to promote partnering among manufacturers in the selected industrial areadneighborhoods to become involved in pollution prevention activities, and (2) a steering committee of neighborhood representatives to develop a neighborhood-industry partnership outreach program to address community pollution issues. Finally, the city of Atlanta, P2AD, and the SCSPP were to serve as a technical advisory group (TAG) to provide guidance, support, and technical assistance, and to facilitate the interaction between neighborhood and industry leaders.

community leaders to discuss the NEP and their interests in establishing a working relationship between the two groups. They deemed three factors critical to the success of the project: @ Pledging to work together. @ Convincing the neighborhood leaders about

The TAG then met separately with business and

industries’ commitment to implement pollution prevention programs.

Many

communities

across the

country are ‘left

out of the loop’

when it comes

to industrial

decisions and

operations that

have a direct

bearing on their

immediate

environments.

Vol2 No 4

One

participant

said the

process and

outcome

‘made

everyone feel

good!

@ Ensuring that any agreement reached would be binding and executed in good faith. Industry leaders were recruited through personal

contacts with executives on the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Environmental Committee and companies working with P2AD. The SCSPP and the city of Atlanta identified neighborhood leaders who had been active in environmental issues in three zip code areas in northwest and southwest Atlanta. In separate meetings held at the P2AD offices (business leaders) and at Frederick Douglass High School (neighborhood leaders), the two groups identified a broad range of pollution issues in the Fulton Industrial District and the Marietta Boulevard-Bolton Road corridors. According to the Georgia Manufacturing Directory and the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system, the Fulton Industrial District had 182 industries employing 6,627 persons with a 98-percent minority population having a median income of $16,239, while the Marietta-Bolton corridor had 195 industries with 17,407 employees and a 77-percent minority population with a median family income of $18,352.

borhood leaders from four neighborhood planning units (NPUs-4 , D, H, and I)’, communities like Carver Hills and Cliftondale, and organizations such as the Environmental Fund for Georgia, Fulton

The steering committee included twelve neigh-

County Environmental Task Force, and Saving Atlan- ta’s Fragile Environment. The IAG included national and state corporations (Georgia Power Company and W. R. Grace Container Corporation), a medium-sized regional company (Blue Circle Cement), and a family-owned small business (Southern Aluminum Fin- ishing). Meeting separately, the two groups identified issues of restricting residential development near industrial facilities, pollution and solid waste reduction, and improving communication between the industry and neighborhoods as the major common environmental concerns. Neighborhood leaders also cited truck emissions and dust, non-point source pollution, and landfill odors.

Next, the TAG compiled and disseminated a notebook with information on several community interaction strategies and programs utilized by corporations, ranging from community advisory panels, open house-facility tours, school partnerships, and community volunteering. Case studies of good-neighbor projects in other cities involving communities in industrial areas were included in the book. Among those listed were the Alcoa Aluminum Zero Dis- charge Agreement with Calhoun County Resource Watch (Point Comfort, Texas) and the Chevron Refinery Pollution Prevention Agreement with West County Toxic Coalition (Richmond, California). They presented a case study (Minneapolis) of the People of

I 2 Environmental Excellence in South Carolina

Phillips (POP) neighborhood and the Smith Foundry Company, assisted by the Citizens for a Better Envi- ronment (CBE). The NEP participants were particularly impressed with the Phillips community project.

The Phillips community formed a Good Neigh- bor Committee after Smith Foundry’s TRI report, containing erroneous information, showed major pollution problems. The nine-member committee included three representatives each from the neighborhood, Smith Foundry, and the CBE. The CBE sponsored a good-neighbor conference at which community members discussed environmental and health problems, such as excessive dust in homes and odor problems causing nausea and headaches. Citizens asked about Smith Foundry’s pollution prevention plans and the committee began to hold monthly meetings. These early meetings were characterized by arguments, disagreements, suspicion, and a generally adversarial atmosphere. It took several meetings to identify major areas of agreement and to build trust and good will. After the company acknowledged its shortcomings in pollution, however, and committed to improvements beyond the regulatory requirements-including $460,500 for capital improvements for pollution prevention-the effort saw significant progress. One participant said the process and outcome “made everyone feel good.”

Based on the success of this project, the NEP leaders agreed to invite the representatives of Smith Foundry and the POP to come to Atlanta and present their experiences at a workshop.

Consensus Formation Activities and Processes The TAG decided to hold the workshop on two separate days, one for industry personnel and the second for neighborhood leaders.2 The workshops sought to stimulate interest and recruit neighborhood leaders to form a steering committee, and industry representatives to join an IAG. The decision to bring the two groups together for the first time came about after the positive responses to the workshops demonstrated that two adversarial parties could identify common concerns, enter into dialogue, and reach a mutually beneficial outcome. The TAG indicated that the process should be patterned after the “Goals of Clean Industries 2000”: @‘ Open a two-way dialogue on issues between

those who live and work near the facility to increase knowledge, build trust, and foster a good working relationship.

@ Provide accurate industry information to the cit-

izens regarding plant operations, environmental impacts, and plans to reduce pollution. Communicate the concerns of neighborhood residents to facility management in a timely manner. Provide a forum to discuss issues, programs, and pollution reduction efforts. A meeting of thirty-two neighborhood leaders

and a few business executives took place at Frederick Douglass High School to discuss NEP activities to build partnerships in the area, reduce pollution, and improve the environment. Demographic and environmental information was presented on the communities, participants discussed the results of the workshop and focus group sessions that had identified environmental concerns, and attendees participated in a role-playing/simulation exercise led by a pro- fessional facilitator. One presentation consisted of a hypothetical situation-mentioned in the opening paragraph of this article-in which an industry announced plans to expand its plant without first dis- cussing the issue with the adjacent neighborhood. Community and business participants played roles of plant personnel and neighborhood leaders, identified major issues, attended a joint meeting, began negotia- tions, reached a consensus, and adopted action steps to resolve the issues.

The neighborhood participants were pleased with the success of this activity, and several volunteered to serve on the steering committee that was to provide future direction and to plan future activities to achieve the goals of the NEP. John Stephens, vice president of the Northwest Council of Community Clubs, commented that “good information was presented. It was a very positive workshop and brought out some of the concerns of the community and helped people to know what is happening in their neighborhoods.” Linda Brooks, former chair of the Fulton County Environmental Task Force, who was elected chair of the NEP Steering Committee, said “the workshop was very good.” And Lester Walker, chair of the Skipper Avenue Neighborhood Asso- ciation, said, “It was a much different type of meeting. People need to listen to what other persons are saying and try to offer constructive solutions. The role-playing session shows you can have meetings where exchanges of concern can do some good. One has to realize that you can’t solve all agendas and there must be a willingness to compromise.”

The workshop was a critical activity because it demonstrated that the NEP process is about how to get industries and neighborhood leaders to sit down, discuss issues, and reach a consensus on how to

The workshop

demonstrated

that the NEP

process is about

how to get

industries and

neighborhood

leaders to sit

down, discuss

issues, and reach

a consensus on

how to improve

environmental

conditions.

Vol2 No 4 13

P I

W M l Pue HVX

munities. Facilitators from the Georgia Power Com- pany assisted the NEP participants at two meetings in developing the principles of a Good Neighbor Agree- ment (GNA) and the detailed community action program. A subcommittee wrote a draft of the two documents that were discussed and revised during two additional meetings. During the summer of 1998, the documents were finalized, and the industry and neighborhood representatives signed the NEP GNA. [See the accompanying sidebar for more information about the GNA and the Community Action Program.]

The final major activity was a large community event to publicize and share the success of the project. The NEP participants organized an “Environmen- tal Awareness Day” during National Pollution Pre- vention Week. The goal of the event was to inform the larger Atlanta metro community about the NEP activities and accomplishments, to motivate other industry and neighborhood groups to adopt similar approaches to solving environmental problems, and to announce and present awards to industries receiv- ing the Governor’s Pollution Prevention Awards. The mayor of Atlanta issued a proclamation declaring NEP Day in Atlanta. The event, held at a regional YMCA, included exhibit booths by government, industry, and neighborhood groups. Exhibitors dis- tributed materials, gave demonstrations, answered questions about manufacturing processes, and discussed pollution prevention measures. One of the authors of this article-Bob Holmes, director of the SCSPP-summarized the major activities; Marilyn Johnson, community outreach director of Atlanta’s Waste Water Treatment agency, provided background on the origin of the project, major participants, and goals; Jim McClatchey of Southern Aluminum Fin- ishing and Niskey Lake community leader Linda Brooks gave speeches about their experiences as NEP participants and the value of the project; Fulton County Commissioner Emma Darnell and City Coun- cilperson Felicia Moore, the elected officials from the project area, presented NEP awards to the participants; and Harold Reheis, director of the Georgia EPD and Bob Ken-, director of the P2AD, also addressed the audience of about 150 persons, and presented the Governor’s Pollution Prevention Awards to Georgia corporations in various categories.

Conclusion The NEP’s Community Action Program and GNA offer creative models for building cooperation to address community environmental issues in cities in South Carolina and other states. The recognition of neighborhood and industry leaders as valuable members of the community and the realization that working together they can solve mutual problems are the key to the success of the program. The incen- tive for neighborhood and industry cooperation is that the project was presented as a “win-win’’ situation, because both groups would derive benefits from involvement in the NEP. The history of success stories of other diverse communities in cities in the Midwest (Minneapolis, Minnesota), the West (Richmond, California), the Southwest (Point Com- fort, Texas), and the Southeast (Atlanta, Georgia) is inspiring. A GNA can help corporations gain and strengthen community trust as a prerequisite to avoiding, reducing, or ending conflict and con- troversy, gaining positive public relations benefits, and achieving long-term cost savings from pollution prevention measures. It can help the neighborhoods gain information and participate in a process that will result in improvement in the quality of the environment in their communities. ESC

Robert A. “Bob” Holmes, Ph.D. (Political Science-Columbia University) is the director of the Southern Center for Studies in Public Policy and professor of Political Science at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. Lynn W. Miller, BA (Economics and Mathematics-Emory University) is an assistant property manager for Equity Office in Atlanta, Georgia. She served as a member of the Neighborhood Steering Committee of the NEP from the Cliftondale Community.

Footnotes I . The NPUs were created in the Atlanta City Charter 1973

to provide community residents with a mechanism to have input into the city’s one-, five-, and fifteen-year comprehensive plan. Developers had to meet with the organizations when they proposed housing or commercial activity prior to submission for a permit or zoning change application. City planning department staff provided technical assistance to the citizen members.

2. The Merck Company of Albany, Georgia, and local govem- ment officials also made presentations based on their program, which incorporated the community involvement principles of the Chemical Manufacturers Association.

A GNA

can help the

neighborhoods

gain information

and participate

in a process that

will result in

improvement in

the quality of

the environment

in their

communities.

Vol 2 N o 4 15

t’s a balmy South Carolina afternoon. A soft I breeze slips through the trees as office workers at your manufacturing plant are settling into their after- lunch routines. People make trips to the coffee pot, chat in doorways, assess the afternoon’s work. It’s about 1 : 15.

Then, in an instant, everything changes. An explosion rocks the building. A few seconds

later, you hear debris rain down on the roof. Metal pipes clang as they slam into concrete. Through the window, leaping flames seem to chase dozens of workers scrambling to safety.

Emergency sirens scream. The scene is straight out of a Hollywood production. Fire is everywhere. The first group of emergency responders rushes by, heading toward the flames. They wobble in their protective suits and breathing units, dragging water hoses. More people are escap- ing the scene only to collapse from the heat and the smoke. A few minutes later, the local fire department, emergency medical services, South Carolina State Police, and DHEC’s HAZMAT unit arrive.

The Media are not far behind. No matter the scenari-xplosion, crash, chem-

ical spill, tampered-with package, or management woes-the common thread woven through any crisis is that the media, in particular television, will be

a 9 there“Themediathatyou have tried topitchideas for news stories, the media that toss ‘perfect’ news

-Risk-

Dea l ing w i t h t h e Media

Sonya Forte Duhe, Ph.D

releases in the trash, the media that never return phone calls-THAT MEDIA will call on you in a crisis. They will probably not telephone in advance. They will show up on your premises in your face. The media, seeing themselves as advocates for the people, can be the principal adversaries in a crisis.”’

Yet, the media can be part of the solution during a crisis.

Reaching the public The public depends on the mass media as important sources of information about environmental and health risks. “In a democracy, the various choices about risks-the costs and benefits-need to be explained to the public. The mass media is the single institution generally assumed capable of performing that role.”2

For most, what the public knows about science is what they read in the press and see on television. Journalists offer language and imagery to explain science. In effect, the mass media are framing social


reality and shaping the public consciousness about science.

Moreover, the news media serve as the link between experts’ technical assessments and layper- sons’ psychological assessments of risk. They serve a critical role in facilitating communication from technical experts to the public and from the public to sci- entists and government or industry decision-makers. It is the information given by the news media that often plays an important role in shaping public opin- ion.

At the heart of any crisis must be effective risk communication. Sheldon Krimsky and Alonzo Plough define risk communication as any public or private communication that informs individuals about the existence, nature, form, severity, or acceptability of risks.’

Communication of risks has gone from being a simple one-way message developed by technical experts trying to persuade an uninformed and passive public about a risk, to the sharing of information about risk-laden issues with the public. And let’s face it; in the age of the Internet, if you don’t give information, it’s likely that the average citizen will get it with a few mouse clicks.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a congressionally authorized committee on risk assessment, and numerous scholars agree, communicating risks must be a two-way process where people are both talking and listening. In fact, two-way communication deals much more with “understanding” than with “persuasion.”

risks have taken on an increasingly important role in industrialized nations. The public is demanding a safer environment. Risk assessments on everything from new technologies to industrial emissions are commonplace.

of those risks may be setting an agenda for social change and public policy.

Does your facility have a crisis plan in place? If so, does everyone know his or her role? Has it been tested in the past three months? If the answer is “n0” to any of these questions, you’ve got some important work ahead of you.

No organization is immune to crises. As Lau- rence Barton writes in his book, Crisis in Organiza- tions: Managing and Communicating in the Heat of Chaos, “Crisis recognizes no boundaries. It strikes corporations, non-profit organizations, government

Furthermore, the evaluation and management of

But, recent research tells us the communication

The first thing you need to do now is prepare.

agencies, houses of worship, utilities, cooperatives and fa mi lie^."^ “Almost all organizations, at one time or another, will confront an organizational crisis or disaster of some kind, and will be asked to face the media as a spoke~person.”~

To prepare for any type of crisis, you must involve all your employees-from top officials to receptionists. After all, if a neighbor sees smoke and calls your facility, whom will they speak with first? Certainly it won’t be the facility manager.

shareholders? The mass media can be your quickest and most efficient way to get your message out. You must fight fear with facts and understand a few things about the media to help you get ready.

minute long. The interview portion of a story, or what TV journalists call “sound bites,” is usually less than fifteen seconds. These limitations mean you have only a few seconds to get your point across. Print journalists also want the same type of quick quote. Explaining everything in less time than it takes to run a car commercial on the evening news is a big job for an amateur. But, by adhering to some simple rules, you can look and sound like a pro.

So, how do you deal with your publics, your

The average television news story is about one

RulesTo Follow When Communicating With the Media Prepare, prepare, and prepare! First, your organization must delegate someone as its official spokesperson. It may be the plant manager. What is important is that your organization speaks with one voice. You don’t want to end up with a communications disaster like the 1979 Three Mile Island incident. There, the federal government literally had to step in and demand that communication be centralized while limiting the number of people who could speak about the situation at the nuclear-fueled electrical generat- ing facility.

Once your organization has appointed a spokesperson, there are rules to follow when dealing with the media. And remember, from a crisis to a community event, the same rules apply when the pens hit paper and the microphone gets put in front of you.

Know your subject matter! In journalism, every story should possess the answers to what is called the five Ws-who, what, where, when, why, and sometimes even how. No matter the subject of the interview, before the television or print reporter asks you something over the telephone, make sure you can answer all questions connected to your subject. For

No matter the

scenario-

explosion, crash,

chemical spill,

tam pe red-w i t h

package, or

manage men t

w o e c t h e

common thread

woven through

any crisis is that

the media, in

particular

television, will be

there.

Vol 2 No 4 17

example, if your company is expanding and adding jobs, in your answers must be the five Ws. “Why are we adding jobs?’ “When will they be added?’ “Who is the company looking for?’ “What type of employee?’ “Where will the jobs be located?’ and “How might these new jobs and planned expansion affect surrounding neighborhoods, the environment, or even stock in the company?’

Any good journalist will make sure the five Ws are answered before the story is written. Any good interviewee will be prepared with answers based upon the topic of the interview before the first question is posed.

Be correct. If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t guess. Honestly tell the reporter that you don’t know the answer but will find out and get back to him or her. No matter how much you prepare, there may still be a question you really don’t know the answer to. Do not guess. You may be contradicted later. The media Be quotable. Television and print journalists are looking for good sound bites and quotes. Be articulate and passionate about your subject. Sound bites should be short but say enough to be memorable. Say more than just the time and place of your event.

can be part of

the Solution

Flag your key points. Although you should prepare answers to those five Ws, select three important points you want to get across in the interview. If you think the interview is going places you don’t want it to go, you can “bridge” back to where you want it to be-your three key points. To bridge back to your three key points, use connectors such as “The real issue is ... .” or “I can’t say that, but what I can tell you is.. . .” and then go to at least one of your three key points. Your bridging techniques should be very specific and deliberate.

during a

crisis,

Don’t ramble! Rambling is probably one of the best ways to make sure you’ll never again be granted an interview! Remember, once a journalist interviews you, he or she still has a lot of work to do before the story is aired or printed. Going through a lot of excess information to get a good sound bite or quotation is frustrating for a journalist. Give short, concise, clear, and quotable sound bites early in your interview.

Never say “no comment!” Have you ever seen the defendant walking from the courthouse who says, “No comment,” when asked a question? “No com-

ment” automatically makes that person look guilty. One might ask, “What is he trying to hide? Why won’t that individual speak?’

Don’t deal with “what if” scenarios. A journalist may ask the question: “What would happen if.. .?’ Imagine the trouble you can get yourself into by answering such a question. Instead, restate your key point. Don’t fall into the “what if’ trap by letting anyone put words into your mouth.

Don’t go “off the record.” Everything you say is on the record. A journalist has a job to do and it does not entail making your organization look bad or good. Don’t ever tell a journalist what you don’t want to see or hear later in a news report.

When asked about a problem, talk about the solution. Dwelling on problems only makes the situation worse. What are you doing as a manager to “fix” the problem? Become fixated on the solution-not on the problem!

Be visual! In television, pictures make news. Remember the bloody scenes of the Vietnam War? Some say these images led to public opposition to continued U.S. involvement. Or, recall the vivid scenes from the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. Whether it’s the burned rubble of an explosion or a body bag, TV newsrooms expect the picture to tell the story because visuals have tremendous audience impact. Be visually prepared. Have maps and graph- ics available to explain your message, particularly if it’s scientific or technical. Consider, too, what people will see behind the speaker at your news conference.

So let’s get started! Now that you’ve begun to master speaking to the media, how often do you have to do it? During a crisis, the simplest answer may be “as soon as possible” and “as much as possible.”

A nationwide survey of news directors reveals that when a crisis occurs, they wanted information “constantly,” “immediately,” or “as soon as possible.” One news director said: “We want so much information that we cannot possibly handle all of it.” While this may appear to be unrealistic to the spokesperson whose goal is to “get it all and get it right” before releasing any information to the media, the live, at- the-scene component of television news makes this a reality.

nation’s second largest petroleum refinery showed An analysis of the 1993 explosion inside the


health or et ure to a stress0

uncertainty involved.+) Results in:An overall assessment of the hazard in terms of i t s effects on human health and/or the environment.

Risk Management-The process of evaluating and selecting alternative regulatory and nonregulatory responses to risk.The selection process necessarily requires the consideration of legal, economic, and behavioral factors3 Answers the question: “What level of environmental risk are we willing to accept, and what’s the best way to control or minimize that risk?”

it took Exxon officials more than two and one-half hours after the incident occurred before distributing the first news release. Initial, early-morning reports from the scene in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were filled with questions that the media weren’t getting answers to from Exxon but from emergency personnel responding to the incident. Imagine, in those early hours of the incident, the families of the employees who saw the news reports but didn’t know if their loved ones were okay.

murder case, officials worked diligently to feed the media. Hugh Munn, a law enforcement spokesman who dealt with the South Carolina case where a mother drowned her two sons, wrote, “Using various

During the internationally reported Susan Smith

e general public, news

Answers the question: “What is the most effective way of exchanging information about environmental risk among all interested parties (inchding the general public)?” Involves: @ Results of risk assessment and risk management # Informing the public (communitykitizen groups,

environmental groups, etc.) # Obtaining feedback from these groups. # Working with the news media. Results in:An informed populace. HV

tTim o f E ” e n t . G b s o ~ A b b ” , and Aaonyms. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA I 75-597-00 I, Dec. I 997.

technologies-voice mail, PR Newswire and faxes- the media were often called even when there was nothing new to report. PressBox, a news feature utilized by SLED (S.C. Law Enforcement Division), quickly became a valuable tool. Consisting of special interactive recorded announcements.. .PressBox con- tinually provided updates and new information about the search.’”j

When asked to rank order by importance who news directors would prefer interviewing in a crisis or disaster, they said: Affected individuals or victims, followed by eyewitnesses, authorities, and the family of affected individuals or victims. Ranked fifth and

see Risk continued on page 23

You must fight

fear with facts

and understand

a few things

about the media

to help you get

ready.

Vol 2 No 4 19

It is a place where voii can see blue Iieroiis,

red-shouldered hawks, river otters, beavers,

alligators, arid elusive bobcats in their natural

wading birds, and neotropical migrants make

use of the marshes, swamps, and ponds. In

recent vears, in fact, the er\dangered wood

stork, the American bald eagle, and the rare

Eurasian widgeon have made themselves

comfortable h this place. In the summer, the Phinizv Swarn~ colorful painted bunting arid dazzling indigo

bunting strut their stuff.

I

Nature Park A remote jungle hideawav? Hardlv. Wel-

corne to Phinizv Swamp Natiirc Park, otilv

minutes away froin downtowtl Augusta, Environmen t al Education (ieorgia.

Located on 1,100 acres iii the historic

Savarmh River floodplain, the park offers

visitors a charm to interact with nature

in a “mini-Okefenokee” setting. The nature

park offers a uriique experience, because the

developinent of river corridors along the

Savarmh has led to the rapid disappeararm

of authentic urban floodplain habitats that

support the native flora arid fauna.

and Outreach


Promoting environmental stewardship Operated by the Southeastern Natural Sciences Acad- emy, Phinizy Swamp Nature Park promotes environmental stewardship through its educational programs, research programs, and public events. These programs support the academy’s goal of promoting sustainable development-economic growth balanced with environmental protection. The park celebrated its grand opening last spring, as hundreds of visitors helped observe the thirtieth anniversary of Earth Day.

The vision behind the academy and Phinizy Swamp Nature Park is to help Augusta grow and prosper through a better awareness of its water resources. The park not only protects a rapidly dis- appearing habitat, it also teaches children to appreciate the natural resources that are essential to their future. After all, the swamp enhances water quality, moderates flooding, and provides habitat for fish and wildlife. The river resource is critical for meeting the drinking water, wastewater treatment, and recreational needs of the community. Through judicious use, these resources should provide for growth without compromising quality of life.

prosperity, and community well-being can be achieved only if the community understands the issues of sustainability, appreciates its natural resources, and actively participates in managing these resources. Founded as the Ecosystems Institute in 1996, the Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy, through the development of an urban educational complex and the floodplain nature park, presents practical and meaningful programs for environmental awareness, conservation, and management to increase stakeholder understanding of issies pertaining to natural resources. This awareness should stimulate more effective community participation in resource planning.

Balancing environmental protection, economic

What the park offers The park, located within the historic 7,000-acre Phinizy Swamp, showcases the natural resources of the Savannah River floodplain. Today, visitors are greeted at the park’s main entrance by an educational kiosk filled with trail and construction updates, maps, and photographs designed to pique their sense of adventure. Preliminary trails take them through cypress swamps, along constructed and natural wetlands, and past breathtaking views of scenic beauty and scientific interest. As they walk along the floodplain on a boardwalk deep within the swamp, they reach a spectacular observation deck overlooking

Butler Creek; or they can trek along a shorter stretch of boardwalk to a deck overlooking a beaver pond where they may even see an alligator. A calendar of events, along with the park’s Swamp Notes newsletter, can be found on the Academy’s Web site at http://www.downtownaugusta.com/pswampnp/ pswampnp.htm.

The current Phinizy Swamp Nature Park Master Plan calls for twelve miles of trails and boardwalks, seven observation decks, a visitor center, an educational building, an outdoor pavilion, educational kiosks, a caretaker’s cottage, and restrooms. The park has seen many improvements already as the academy works to achieve the goals of its master plan. Each month offers new opportunities for expansion that enhance the educational and recreational elements of the park.

tours, and workshops on a variety of topics, such as aquatic and wetland plants, water monitoring, and biological monitoring. “The academy’s programs focus on wetland, floodplain, and river ecology and are taught in various locations, including Phinizy Swamp, Augusta Canal, and several locations on the Savannah River,” says Dr. Gene Eidson, president and founder of the academy. “We have programs designed for the general public as well as for school- children, graduate students, teachers, and even business groups.” Additional classes are offered in related subjects, such as nature art and photography, wildlife tracking, primitive camping, and plant identification.

Special areas of the nature park include cypress swamps, mixed hardwood forests, streams and ponds, river scars, river bluffs, river frontage, and an oxbow lake.

The academy-based in Augusta-ffers trips,

Research and education In its research programs, the academy conducts high- quality science to evaluate, develop, and apply innovative technologies for cleaner waters. Projects have included a Savannah River fish-tissue study to assess risks to human health from the consumption of fish in the Augusta area, and water-quality models to assess the use of constructed wetlands for advanced wastewater treatment. [Ed. Note: See “Constructed Wet- lands along the Savannah River” in the summer 1999 issue of EJC.] Several graduate students have conducted research on the site and more students are scheduled to work with the academy in the coming years.

In addition to the educational opportunities the academy provides to the community and region,

The

develop men t of

river corridors

along the

Savannah has

led to the rapid

disappearance of

authentic urban

floodplain

habitats that

support the

native flora and

fauna.

Vol2 No 4 21

http://www.downtownaugusta.com/pswampnp

Phinizy Swamp

Nature Park

promotes

environmental

stewardship

through its

educational

programs,

research

programs, and

public events. The final recommendations of the Riparian Forest Buffer Task Force, including a detailed description of the issues, research, and deliberations that took place in developing these recommendations, have been published in the Final Report ofthe Statewide Task Force on Riparian Forest Bufers. The Center for Environmental Policy has also published a separate working paper titled Integration of Science and Po1icy:A Case Study on Riparian Bufers, which provides a review of the scientific literature on riparian forest buffers compiled during the project. Both documents are available through the Center for Environmental Policy and can be obtained by contacting the center at 803-777-4568, or at [email protected].

Deanna Doohaluk is a USC graduate with a Masters of Public Health in environmental health sciences with a specialization in environmental quality. While completing her masters degree she worked as a graduate assistant with the USC Center for Environmental Policy.


mailto:[email protected]

there is also a significant economic benefit. Regional research programs, nature-based tourism, natural science conferences, and museum exhibitions all provide revenue to the community. The U. s. Fish &Wildlife Service nominated the academy’s programs for two 1999 national wetland awards; the programs received Region 4 runner-up status for Outstanding Accomplishment. Dr. Eidson received the 1999 Clemson Alumni Award, the Georgia Wild- life Federation’s Wildlife Conservationist of the Year Award, and the EcoGroup International Ecological Award for his achievements in environmental science education and outreach.

The academy is committed to educating the public at large about the beauty, science, and importance of the Savannah River and natural resources. Its goal is to provide leadership in developing community-driven programs that address urban-related issues in water pollution and the conservation of natural resources. Public events sponsored by the academy include Earth Day Augusta; seasonal ecological tours on the river and historic canal, and within the

Savannah River floodplain swamps; workshops on environmental issues such as sustainable development; and informative programs such as bird-watch- ing and native-plant gardening. As part of the academy’s outreach program, its Community Environmen- tal Achievement Event recognizes and honors local individuals, educators, students, civic groups, business, industry, and government for their contributions toward a cleaner and sustainable environment.

The academy and nature park complex are sup- ported through private donations from corporations, foundations, and individuals. Some public funding is being sought from the state of Georgia. For more information about the Southeastem Natural Sciences Academy and Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, see our “ContactsResources” column on page 28 of this issue. ESC

This article was adapted, by permission, from materials supplied by the Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy.

The park

showcases the

natural

resources of the

Savannah River

floodplain.

Risk continued from page I 9

sixth were employees who are frequently affected by the crisis, and then management of the affected organization or government entity. Finally, ranked at the bottom of the list was the spokesperson for the affected organization or government entity. That data suggests that if you want your organization’s view- points to be heard, you must know enough to send out the person the media want to hear from-and that’s usually the top person.

now. So, pull out your crisis manuals, dust them off, and give them a test. Or the real disaster may be still tocome! 5%

But all this takes preparation that must begin

Notes 1. K. Fean-Banks, Crisis Communications: A Casebook

Approach (Mahwahs NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1996), 3. 2. L. Walters, L. Wilkins and T. Walters, eds., Bad Edings:

Communicarion and Catastrophe (Hillsdale: Lawrence Erl- baum Associates, 1989), 176.

3. S. Krimsky and A. Plough, Environmental Hazards (Dover, Massachusetts: Auburn House Publishing Company, 1988).

4. L. Barton, Crisis in Organizations: Managing and Com- municating in the Heat ofChaos (Cincinnati, O H South- Western Publishing Company, 1993), 3.

5. L. Zoch and S. DUM, “Feeding the Media During a Crisis,” Public Relations Quarterly, 42 (1997): 15-18.

6. H. Munn, “Learning from Crisis: The Sad Saga of Susan Smith,” The Public Relarions Strategist 2 (Summer 1996): 40-43.

A former award-winning television and radio news reporter, Sonya Forte Duhe, Ph.D., is now an associate professor in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of South Carolina at Columbia. She is also a partner in the media consuIting/public/governmental relations firm of Duhe &Associates.

Vol2 No 4 23

The W.A.I.T.

program is

designed to

encourage

business and

industry to

integrate wildlife

habitat needs

into corporate

land

management

decisions,

11 across South Carolina, individuals, schools, and industries are restoring a harmonious rela-

tionship between man and the earth. These dedicated conservationists and members of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation (SCWF) wildlife habitat programs understand the urgency of keeping enough of our environment habitable for wildlife to ensure that human beings may continue to live here as well.

began the Backyard Wildlife Habitat program and established basic guidelines for making landscapes suitable habitats for wildlife. The program offers cer- tification to individuals whose landscape meets the criteria of offering four critical habitat components: food, water, cover, and places to raise young.

Each certified backyard wildlife habitat is assigned a unique number and is entered in the National Register of Backyard Wildlife Habitat sites. Currently, South Carolina has more NWF-certified backyard wildlife habitats than any other state in the nation.

A

In 1973, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

Beyond the backyard, the NWF offers certifi- cations to schools through the Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Program and to business and industry through the Wildlife and Industry Together (W.A.I.T.) program.

ship with Duke Power, the South Carolina Depart- ment of Natural Resources, and the National Wild Turkey Federation. It is designed to encourage business and industry to integrate wildlife habitat needs into corporate land management decisions.

As South Carolina becomes increasingly developed, there is less land available for wildlife. Corpo- rate land owners can offset habitat loss by devoting their underutilized lands to wildlife. This objective is achieved by matching site employees who are interested in wildlife with community partners to develop habitat plans. So far, South Carolina has sixteen W.A.I.T. sites.

The W.A.I.T. program was developed in partner-

The NWF’s schoolyard habitat program, as the name suggests, helps develop wildlife habitats on


KEMET Electronics Corp. 2835 Kemet Way Simpsonville, SC 2968 I

BBA Nonwovens 842 Southeast Main Street Simpsonville, SC 2968 I

Cryovac-Sealed Air Corp. PO. Box 464 100 Rogers Bridge Road Duncan, SC 29334 press.

KEMET Electronics Corp. 2605 Laurens Hwy. Greenwood, SC 29646

tThis list was current at the time this magazine went to

school grounds. A schoolyard habitat is an area-set aside on or very near a school campus-that invites wildlife and provides hands-on learning opportunities for students and teachers alike.

As an outdoor classroom and living lab, the schoolyard habitat lends itself to science, art, history, language arts, and math classes, and builds teamwork among students, teachers, administrators, and volunteers from the community. In addition, a schoolyard habitat offers a chance for successive classes of students, teachers, administrators, and parents to create and sustain a conservation project for the entire community.

Leading the way as mentors and catalysts to help ensure successful habitat projects that are ongoing are the Habitat Stewards. This program is the volunteer training and mentoring arm of the NWF’s habitat program.

The NWF selected the SCWF to pilot the first habitat steward program in the country because South Carolina leads the nation in certified backyard wildlife habitats. The successful model created in our state is now replicated throughout the country.

nity who have a love of the outdoors, a grasp of basic gardening principles, and a willingness to share the joy of gardening with a neighborhood school full of

Habitat stewards are volunteers in the commu-

tomorrow’s conservationists.

and build their schoolyard habitats and have the primary responsibility for working with students, parents, teachers, and volunteers in maintaining and enhancing it as a continuing project. South Carolina currently has thirty-nine schoolyard habitats.

Wildlife is an integral part of the grand scheme of things. Where it finds its requirements for life, it survives. Where it survives, our mundane lives are enriched with color, melody, and excitement. Our children’s children may yet enjoy that legacy if we continue to open the garden gate and welcome wildlife back into our everyday lives.

gratefulness in nature’s speechless code. Each rustle and chup attest to the respect for life and the unity with the environment that those who work to ensure wildlife habitat are a part of. ESc

Habitat stewards aid in helping schools establish

“Welcome to our garden!” is acknowledged with

[Ed. Note: For more information about these wildlife habitat programs, see our “ContactslResources” column on page 28. Also, see “Taking Environmental Awareness beyond the Plant Walls” in the fall I997 issue of P,SC.]

Joyce E. Peters is the communications and special-events coordinator for the South Carolina Wildlife Federation.

Wildlife is an

integral part

of the grand

scheme of

things. Where

it finds its

requirements

for life, it

survives.

Vol2 No 4 25

annual index E,SC: Environmental Excellence in South Carolina

This index covers the four issues of Volume 2. Copies of back issues are available, but the quantities are limited. To order, mail a check (payable to USC Institute of Public Affairs) for $3 per copy to:

E2SC Back Issues Institute of Public Affairs University of South Carolina Columbia, SC 29208

Environmental Management Systems-Vol. 2, No. I Guest Commentaly: “In Pursuit of Continuous Environmental Improvement,” Andy Duncan, 2.

Commissioner’s Column, Doug- las E. Bryant, 3.

Perspectives on E2: “Envi- ronmental Excellence,” George Ford, 4.

Opening Thoughts, Hans VanderKnyff, 5.

The I S 0 I4001 Bandwagon: A Few Pointers for Small and Mid- Sized Seekers, Robin W. Kloot, 6.

Environmental Management Sys- tems in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Implementing a Competitive Advantage, Phillip E. Barnes, IO.

Award- Winning Success as MCAS Beaufort, 15.

Integrating Environmental Pro- tection into the Business: The CP&L Example, Carolyn Ander- son and Steve Johnson. 18.

Environmental Management Sys- tems: Is There a Payback?, Gary N. Weinreich, 22.

Newsworthy: “Hazardous Waste Fund Awards Matching Grant for Wastewater Study,” 26.

Newsworthy: “Christine Steagall Joins Center for Environmental Policy,” 26.

Environmental Hotlines, 21.

Contacts/Resources. 28.

E2 on the Web (various sites dedicated to environmental management systems), 28.

Metrics for P2 Measurement

Guest Commentary: “Creating Business Advantage through Pol- lution Prevention Metrics,” John C. Huessner, Ph.D., 2.

-Val. 2, NO. 2


Newsworthy: “SC Companies Receive Governor’s P2 Award,” 4.

Newsworthy: “EJC Wins STC Awards,” 4.

Opening Thoughts, Eric H. Snider, 5.

A Management Perspective on Pollution Prevention Metrics, J. Samuel Suffem. 6.

Using History as a Guide: Ten- neco Automotive’s Pollution Pre- vention Index, Daniel B. Moor- head, Melissa Spires, and Hans VanderKnyff, 10.

Biometrics Used for Better Wastewater Management, Howard E. C. (Hal) Brown, 16.

If You Don’t Measure It, You Don’t Know What It Is: CP&L’s Environmental Index, Hans VanderKnyff, 22.

Environmental Hotlines. 21.

Contacts/Resources, 28.

E2 on the Web (Global Recycling Network; The Internet Consumer Recycling Guide), 28.

EmergingTrends in Remedi- ation-Vol. 2, No. 3 Guest Commentary: “Environ- mental Vision for the Air Force Reserve Command,” Col, John Mogge, USAF, 2.


Newsworthy: “Removing Toxic Dirt Could Worsen the Environ- ment,” Tracy Hampton, 4.

Opening Thoughts, Hans VanderKnyff, 5.

Shaw AFB: Construction Com- pleted of Underground ‘Walls’ to Clean up Ground Water; Richard Roller, 6.

The Hazardous Waste Manage- ment Research Fund: Ten Years After; Hans VanderKnyff, 8.

The Promise of Bioremediation to Clean up Chlorinated Solvents, David Major, 12.

Commonly Asked Questions Regarding the Use of Natural Attenuation for Petroleum- Con- taminated Sites, 18.

It’s Nature’s Way: Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Today magazine, 22.


Research Notes: “The Promise of Dense Phase Carbon Dioxide,” Hans VanderKnyff, 26.

Contacts/Resources, 28.

E2 on the Web (Material Safety Data Sheets: TVA waste reduc-

tion information; Terms of Envi- ronment), 28.

Community Involvement in Environmental Excellence -Val. 2, NO. 4

Guest Commentary: “Adminis- trations Change, Environmen- tal Needs Don’t,’’ Jim Cumber- land, 2 .


Opening Thoughts, Eric H. Snider, 5.

Rockin ’ the Church: Com- munity Involvement in the Superfund Process, Eugene C. McCall, Jr., 6.

The Neighborhood Environmen- tal Partnership: A Case Study of Citizen Involvement, Bob Holmes and Lynn W. Miller, IO.

Communicating Risk: Dealing with the Media, Sonya Forte DuhC, 16.

Phinizy Swamp Nature Park: Environmental Education and Outreach, 20.

South Carolina Riparian Forest Buffers, Deanna Doohaluk, 22.

Wildlife Habitats at Home, Work, and Play, Joyce E. Peters, 24.

A Primer on Terms Relating to Environmental Risk, 19.


Contacts/Resources. 28.

E2 on the Web (SAGE-Solvent Altematives Guide), 28.


environmental hotlines

Asbestos Ombudsman Washington, DC 800-368-5888

Center for Environmental Research Information (CERI) Cincinnati, OH

es. epa.gov/pmgrum/epao rgs/ord/ ceri. html

5 13-569-7562

Central CarolinaTechnical CollegelSouth Carolina Environmental Training Center Sumter, SC

www. sum. tec.sc. us/etc/evmain. htm 803-778-6656

CHEMTREC (non- emergency services) Arlington,VA

www. cmahq. comkhemtrec. nsf 800-262-8200

Center for Environmental Policy, USC Institute of Public Affairs Columbia, SC

www. iopu.sc.edu/cep/ 803-777-4568

DHEC Center for Waste Minimization Columbia, SC

www.state.sc. us/dhec/eqc/admin/ htmUwastemin. html

803-896-8986

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region IV Atlanta, GA 404-562-9900 800-241-1754 www. epa. gov/region4/inde.x. html

Hazardous Waste Management Research Fund Columbia, SC 803-777-8157

Hazardous Waste Ombudsman Washington, DC 800-262-7937

Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse Washington, DC

www.epa.gov/iaq/iaqinfo. html 800-438-43 18

Nation Lead Information Center

www.epu.gov/leud/nlic. htm 800-424-LEAD

National Pesticide Telecommunications Network Corvallis. OR

ace. orst. edu/info/nptn/index. html 800-858-7378

National Response Center (oil and chemical spills) Washington, DC

www.nrc.uscg.mil/ 800-424-8802

Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water Washington, DC

www.epa.gov/safewater/ 800-426-479 1

Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse

Washington, DC

www. epa.gov/opptintr/libruiy/ 1ibppic.htm

(PPIC)

202-260-1023

RCRA, Superfund & EPCRA Hotline Washington, DC

www. epu. gov/epaoswer/hotline/ index. htm

800-424-9346

Southeast Waste Exchange Charlotte, NC 704-547-2270 sewe-pc.uncc.edu/

Stratospheric Ozone Protection Hotline Washington, DC

www. epa. gov/docs/ozone/ desc. html

800-296-1996

Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Assistance Information Service Washington, DC 202-554- 1404

Waste Reduction Resource Center Raleigh, NC 800-476-8686 919-7 15-1612 w rrc.p2pays. o rg/

Vol2 No 4 27

http://www.nrc.uscg.mil

http://sewe-pc.uncc.edu

con tacts/resou rces e2 on the web

Contacts/Resources provides more information about the people, organizations, and topics presented in this issue of E2SC.

Guest Commentary pg. 2; Jim Cumberland, Center for Environmental Policy, Institute of Public Affairs, University of South Carolina, Columbia,

fjcumberland@ iopa.sc.edu. SC 29208; 803-777-045 1;

Rockin’ the Church: Commu- nity Involvement in the Super- fund Process pg. 6; Gene McCall, McCall Environ- mental, P.A., 241 N. Main St., Suite A (29601); P.O. Box 10005, Greenville, SC

genemccall @home.com. 29603-0005; 864-370-1550;

The Neighborhood Environ- mental Partnership: A Case Study of Citizen Involvement pg. 10; Bob Holmes, Ph.D., The Southern Center for Stud- ies in Public Policy, Clark Atlanta University, 223 James P. Brawley Dr., S. W., Atlanta,

bholmes @cau.edu. GA 30314; 404-880-8089;

Communicating Risk: Dealing with the Media pg. 16; Sonya DuhC, Ph.D.; Louisiana State University, 244 B Thomas Boyd Hall, Baton Rouge, LA

sduhe@ sc.edu. 70803; 225-578-5836;

Phinizy Swamp Nature Park: Environmental Education and Outreach pg. 20; Gene W. Eidson, Ph.D.; Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy, 540 B Telfair St., Augusta,

pswampnp@ bellsouthmet; www.downtownaugusta.com/ pswampnp/pswampnp.htm.

GA 30901; 706-828-2109;

South Carolina Riparian Forest Buffers pg. 22; Center for Envi- ronmental Policy, Institute of Public Affairs, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208; 803-777-9199.

Wildlife Habitats at Home, Work, and Play pg. 24; Joyce Peters, South Carolina Wildlife Federation, 27 1 1 Middleburg Dr., Ste. 104, Columbia, SC 29204; 803-256-0670; mail@ scwf. org; www.scwf.org.

A few years ago we ran an article about CAGE (Coating Alternatives Guide), an on-line resource designed for “small and medium-sized businesses that may have little time and few resources to research new coating technologies and techniques for coating applica- tions.” [P2SC, Winter 1998, p. 24.1 We want to bring to your attention the fact that the Research Triangle Institute also offers SAGE (Solvent Alter- natives Guide), developed in cooperation with the U S . EPA Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division.

Also a Web-based resource, SAGE “is a comprehensive guide designed to provide pollution prevention information on solvent and process alternatives for parts cleaning and degreasing.” Its home page points out that this resource doesn’t recommend any ozone- depleting chemicals.

sor” employs an electronic expert system approach to eval-

The site’s “Process Advi-

uate the process you specify. It asks you to complete a well-designed, on-line form on which you select data about the material being cleaned: its physical characteristics, its type of coating, your cleanliness requirements, and some general process information. Based on your input, the Process Advisor generates a ranked list of alternatives to the solvents you now use.

The site also carries a comprehensive database that provides descriptions of all the SAGE alternatives. In addition to these descriptions, you can access case studies, economic and environmental data, refer- ences, and other information. Other features found on this useful Web site are a conversion checklist, a glossary, and pages related to state information.

You can find SAGE on the Web at http://clean. rti.org/. While you’re at it, check out SAGE’S cousin CAGE at http:// cage. rti. org/. ESC

coming in E Z S C e e e Broadening the reach of environmental excellence.


http://iopa.sc.edu

mailto:home.com

mailto:cau.edu

http://www.downtownaugusta.com

http://www.scwf.org

http://clean

http://rti.org

S 0 LIT FI C X R 0 1, I N X E N V I R 0 N X1 E .N Tt\ L

IiXC E I, L E N C E I' ROC: R , \ X I

ASSOCIATED FUEL PUMP SYSTEMS CORP. B M \JV i\/l A N U FACT U R I M G C 0 R P 0 RAT1 0 N

CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE CP&L ENERGY DELIVERY GROUP

DAYCO PRODUCTS, INC. HAMRICI< MILLS, INC.

Ii\lTERNATIOI\IAL PAPER - EASTOVER V I L L

CAT E R P I L LA R I N C.

INTERNATIONAL PAPER - GEORGETOWN b l ILL I<EMET ELECTRONICS CORP - FOUNTAIN I N N PLANT I<EiLl ET ELECTRONICS CORP - GREENWOOD PLAblT

I<EMET ELECTRONICS CORP. - hIAULDIN PLANT /<:MET ELECTRONICS CORP. - SiMPSOYVILLE PLA;\IT

MAYFAIR MILLS, INC PIRELLI CABLES AND SYSTEbAS

RHODIA, INC. SEALED AIR CORP., CRYOVAC D I V I S I O N

S P R I bl G S I N D U ST R I E S

r: 2 '1 G ;?A."J i ATIO 'I s T3 9 li 2 'I E'/\/ IST '11 : ' , I 2 c i s MOUNTVEXNON MILLS, INC.

SANTEE COOPER REGIONAL WATER SYSTEM - MONCI<S CORNER US NAVAL HOSPITAL - BEAUFORT

U S NAVAL WEAPONS STATION - CHARLESTON WESTVACO CORP. FOREST RESOURCES DIVISION SOUTHERN REGION

The South Carolina Environmental Excellence Program is administered by the Universtiy of South Carolina's Center for Environmental Policy. S C E E P was established to publicly recognize entities that have demonstrated a commitment t o environmental improvements above arid beyond regulatory requirements. S C E E P provides members with not only public recognition but also a network of peers and a forum for information sharing and technology transfer. This voluntary program is f ree for qualifying organizations committed t o protecting and preserving South Carolina's environment through pollution prevention and the conservation of natural resources and energy. For more information or an application, please contact

Christine Steagail a t 803-777-7463 or [email protected].

Columbia, SC Permit #766

. 1

> ;- 1 -, 7 ' )

Documents

Community Involvement in Environmental Excellenceinfohouse.p2ric.org/ref/15/14237.pdf · nilturd resc,urce-bnsetl r,icreation. To I-C'CC i ... A Case Study of Citizen ... among DOE’S