Coordination and Cooperation: Keys to a Successful Project (State and Federal Government Working Hand-in-Hand)
Presented by: Ginny Narsate, Region 5, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Lynn Stone, Illinois Department of Public Health; Michelle Tebrugge, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency; and Kevin Turner, Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge

“Dioxin Contamination and Lead Found in Residential Murphysboro..” Alarming, disconcerting, and “scary” news when you are a homeowner asked to evacuate your home right before the Christmas holiday season. An innocent citizen’s complaint of a trucking company emptying a water barrel’s contents onto the ground resulted in a time of fear, concern, disruption, confusion, and sadness for the Murphysboro community. Fortunately, the United States and Illinois Environmental Protection Agencies, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the local health officials worked together and with the City of Murphysboro to ensure timely and accurate information was available for citizens. Presentations by community involvement representatives from federal and state agencies will offer insight into their respective roles in the evacuation of homes and excavation of hazardous waste in a mobile home park located in southern Illinois. The coordination of community outreach techniques and the cooperation of all agencies involved provided two-way communication and an information exchange between homeowners and governmental agencies that was both meaningful and expeditious. This discussion will present the benefits and value of not only working with the public but also with counterparts at different governmental agencies. A case study will be provided to illustrate the various techniques employed by the various agencies and how coordination of these techniques contributed to the success of this time-critical removal project. A question and answer period will follow the formal presentations.

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