U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2003 Community Involvement
Conference and Training

July 22-25, 2003 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Conference Program Booklet

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Invitation Booklet

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Please join us for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2003 Community Involvement Conference and Training. This annual conference brings together representatives from EPA and its partners to discuss community involvement and public education programs that are citizen centered and focused on environmental issues. This year’s conference features old favorites, such as open-time sessions, and some new surprises, such as awards for poster presentations. As always, multiple breakout sessions and training courses will be offered, all of which encourage an open exchange of information and ideas. Come to participate in discussions, share your expertise and experiences, and network with colleagues who are empowered by the idea and principle embodied by “We the People . . .”

Who Should Attend

This conference is for EPA and its federal, state, local, tribal, and community-based partners who are responsible for implementing environmental public education and community involvement activities and programs. Conference speakers represent a wide variety of EPA program offices, as well as other agencies and organizations. Over 300 people are expected to attend this conference.

Conference Schedule

The conference begins Tuesday, July 22, at 8:30 a.m. and concludes Friday, July 25, at noon. It includes:

Three plenary sessions, one of which will be held during a working lunch on Thursday, July 24;
42 concurrent workshop/panel sessions;
Two poster presentation sessions;
Two field trips, one each on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 22 and 23;
Two open-times for discussing hot topics; and
One 4-hour and six 8-hour optional training courses, all of which begin Thursday afternoon, July 24, and end by Friday noon, July 25.

See the conference agenda to view how the sessions and activities are organized.

Keynote Speakers

At this year’s conference, we will hear from several speakers during the plenary sessions. The keynote speakers include:

Larry Charles, Executive Director, ONE/CHANE, a community-based agency established to rebuild north Hartford, CT.
Connie Tucker, Executive Director, Southern Organizing Committee for Economic and Social Justice, a multi-issue, multi-racial network of people working against racism, war, economic injustice, and environmental destruction.
Lily Yeh, Founder and Director, The Village of Arts and Humanities, a non-profit community-based arts, education, and neighborhood development organization located in North Philadelphia.

Poster Presentations

At this year’s conference, the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) is sponsoring a poster session. Participants are encouraged to prepare and display a poster on their public education and community involvement projects. These stand-alone visual presentations will be on display throughout the conference and will be highlighted during “poster breaks” and the networking hour. During poster sessions, participants will have an opportunity to speak one-on-one with the poster authors. Awards will be given for the best poster. One of these, the “People’s Choice Award,” will be determined by votes of the conference participants. The “Best Overall Award” will be determined by an ICMA review panel.

Limited space is available for posters and may be requested on a first-come, first-served basis. See posters if you want more information about the poster presentation, the poster awards, and how to reserve space to display a poster. Or contact Riti Dhesi, ICMA, at 202-962-3657.

Exhibits

Limited space is available for the display of free-standing or table-top exhibits. Space is available on a first come, first served basis. If you would like to reserve space to display an exhibit, please contact Lisa Gebler (Conference Coordinator) by phone at 301-589 5318, or by e-mail at lisa.gebler@emsus.com. Note that exhibits are separate from the poster presentations and will not be considered for the poster awards.

Open-Time Sessions

The conference includes open-time sessions on Tuesday afternoon and on Thursday morning for participants to network or discuss hot topics. During the plenary sessions, participants will be asked to propose and explain topics of interest and invite other participants to meet to discuss the issue during scheduled open-time sessions. The person proposing the topic will host the discussion group and is responsible for coordinating with conference planners to schedule a meeting place during the open-time sessions. Open-times do not conflict with other conference sessions.

Plenary Lunch Session

On Thursday, July 24, we are hosting a working lunch for all conference participants. During this lunch, we will hear one of our invited speakers and closing comments from the conference organizers. In addition, the awards for the best posters will be announced. We ask that you please sign up for the lunch when registering for the conference so that we can plan for the appropriate number of guests.

Networking Hour

To welcome you to the beautiful, historic host city of Philadelphia, we invite you to join us for a networking hour Tuesday evening from 5:45-7:00 p.m. Not only will you be able to chat with old friends and meet new ones, you also can talk with poster authors, who will be discussing their poster presentations during the networking hour.

Evening Activity

Taste of Philly — You are cordially invited to experience “A Taste of Philly,” during which you will enjoy a sampling of “Philly’s finest.” For starters, plan to toss your diet to the wind! This Philly feast includes AUTHENTIC Philly Hoagies (Italian, Turkey and Tuna), cheese steaks (beef and chicken), water ice, soft pretzels, Herr’s potato chips/french fries, Tastykakes and peanut chews. This feast not only includes food for the body, but food for the soul as well—Philly style of course. After the sampler dinner, we will present a multimedia sampling of Philly, including a local dance troupe and much more.

The cost per person for the “Taste of Philly” is $25. This fee includes dinner, beverages (iced tea or lemonade), and the multimedia show. Additional beverages will be available through a cash bar. This event is being held at the hotel on Wednesday, July 23, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.. To register for this event, contact Vance Evans by phone at 215-814-5526 or by e-mail at evans.vance@epa.gov. You must preregister for the “Taste of Philly.” Payment for this event will be collected at the conference registration desk.

Conference Registration and Fees

Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis and continues up to July 8, 2003, space permitting. For the first time, we are collecting a registration fee to pay for light refreshments and the working lunch. The registration fee is $100 for participants and $50 for speakers and panelists. There is no fee for participants from EPA. You can register and pay your registration fee (using a credit card) online. Or you can print a copy of the conference invitation (a PDF may be downloaded to your computer), complete the registration form, and submit payment (check or credit card) by mail or fax.

Hotel Information

The conference will be held at the Sheraton Society Hill Hotel in the historic district of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A block of rooms for conference participants has been set aside at the government rate of $124 per night, plus tax of 14% (for federal government employees, tax is excluded if a government tax exempt form is presented to the hotel when checking in. To make a reservation, please call the Sheraton Society Hill Hotel at 215-238-6000 or 800-325-3535. To ensure that you get the government rate, inform the reservations office that you are with the EPA Community Involvement Conference. Reservations must be made by July 1, 2003. You are encouraged to book early to ensure availability of a room at the government rate. Click here for hotel information.

Field Trips

On the Registration form, click on each field trip to view a description of the field trip. Register early for a field trip since space is limited.

The Village of Arts and Humanities
(Tuesday afternoon, July 22)

This field trip augments the keynote presentation by Lily Yeh by providing a tour of The Village of Arts and Humanities, a community-based arts, education, and neighborhood development organization located in north Philadelphia. The Village uses art-based programs for people of all ages to reclaim abandoned space and rebuild a sense of hope and possibility among community members. The tour will include the Village’s parks and gardens (all reclaimed from garbage-strewn lots), a community vegetable garden, a tree farm, educational facilities and an art workshop. Participants also will see Village-renovated residential properties, and numerous community-made murals and sculptures.

Cycles of Life: A Study of the Roles Communities and Rivers Play in Mutual Survival
(Wednesday afternoon, July 23)

This field trip combines history, ecology, environmental science, waste sites, Superfund community involvement issues, and community outreach into one event. The overriding theme for this field trip is: the role that rivers played in the development of civilization through industry; the impact of industry on the life of these rivers; and how civilization is working to restore and live in harmony with rivers. This field trip begins with a short presentation, “Life, Death and Rebirth of the Schuylkill,” which introduces and beautifully illustrates this overriding theme. Participants also will learn of the fascinating story of the Fairmont Water Works, which was built in the early 1800s. Next, participants will visit the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge and see a tidal wetlands that is part of the Lower Darby Creek Superfund site. En route to the refuge, participants will hear about this site and efforts to restore the wetlands.

Note: Field trip participants should wear light weight, long pants and comfortable shoes or hiking boots for a short, easy walk at the Heinz Center. To avoid ticks, participants should tuck their pants into socks or wear hiking boots.

Optional Training Courses

Space is limited for the seven optional training courses, so please register early to ensure your participation. A brief description of each training session may be found on the Registration page, by clicking on the “more information” button listed for each course.

Four-Hour Training (Thursday afternoon, July 24)

Moving from Community Involvement to Community Ownership: An Introduction to Community Study Circles as a Tool for Addressing Environmental Challenges

Eight-Hour Training (Thursday afternoon, July 24, to Friday noon, July 25)

Air, Water, and Soil: Plain Language Environmental Writing
EJ 101: Fundamentals of Environmental Justice
Environmental Risk Communications: The Science of Communicating in Difficult Times
Getting in Step: A Pathway to Effective Outreach and Stakeholder Involvement in Your Community
Introduction to Community Involvement
Media Relations Training

Concurrent Presentations

The scheduled date and time for each concurrent presentation is shown on the conference agenda. Provided below is a list of session titles (organized in alphabetical order).

“Are You Hiding From What You Don’t Know?”: Air Toxics Education for Five Unique Age Groups
Arizona’s Unique Public Involvement and Outreach Program: Tools, Tips, and Techniques
Breaking the Mold: Two New Approaches to Reaching the Public
Building Communities From the Inside Out: A Creative Leadership Group Perspective
Civic Infrastructure: Building the Capacity for Effective Collaborative Environmental Problem Solving
Collaborative Sustainability Planning at the Community and Watershed Levels
Community-Based Science: Partnering with a Community-Led Effort to Use Risk Science to Identify Priorities for Improving Local Air Quality
Cultural Outreach: Traditional Uses of Mercury
Drums, Batons, and Sousaphones: Conducting Strategic Planning in the Oak Grove Community
Empowering Communities to Use Local Resources to Reduce Infrastructure Project Costs
Enhancing Public Communication and Outreach Through the Use of Innovative Environmental Data Visualization Tools
EPA’s Response to National Emergencies: the Crisis Response Support Group, the ECOT, and Community Involvement–How They All Fit Together
Fair Process and Empowerment: What to Do If We Really Want Community Involvement in Site Cleanups
Gasoline Spill Requires Intense Community Involvement
Health Professionals’ Roles in Community Involvement at Contaminated Sites
How to Measure and Evaluate the Impact of Your Community Involvement Strategy
Implementing Principles of Environmental Justice: A Los Angeles Regional Model
Involving Communities to Develop a Community Involvement Plan: A Case Study of the Hudson River PCB Public Participation Project
Involving Children with Special Needs in Environmental Health Education
Involving the Community in the Superfund Redevelopment Process: Public Participation at Three Contaminated Sites
Measuring Success in Community Involvement: Information and Tools You Can Use
Meeting Community Involvement Challenges: A Success Story at the Navajo Nation EPA’s Surface and Ground Water Protection Department
Moving Beyond Incentives: A Community Involvement Plan for the City of St. Louis
New Database Tool to Support Public Participation and Community Involvement
Opening Doors with Community-Based Outreach
Opportunities for Partnering: Community-Based Relocation/Redevelopment
Opportunities for Small Communities to Be Involved in EPA Rulemaking
Our Story: Using Stakeholder-Designed Websites to Facilitate Community Participation in Environmental Decision-Making
Partnering with the Amish in the Octoraro Watershed
Philadelphia’s Voluntary Retrofit Program for Diesels
Planning Together? The Community and the Urban Development Arena: Research Conclusions and Alternative Action Models
Proactive Business and Industry Responses to Environmental Justice
Public Involvement and Environmental Justice in the South: New Challenges, New Partnerships
Societal, Cultural, and Economic Impacts and the Superfund Process
Sustainability: Public Involvement as the Crucial Building Block
Sustainable Environment for Quality of Life (SEQL): The Charlotte Region’s Integrated Environmental Initiative
Tag Team: Collaborating with Academic Institutions for Valuable Research on a Limited Budget
The Livable Neighborhood Program in Philadelphia: Neighbors Empowering Neighbors
Top Down or Bottom Up? ALLARM's Experience with Two Operational Models for Community Science
Toxic Crab Outreach: Community Involvement in Crab Consumption Advisories
Vision 2020 Project: Collaborative Partnerships to Achieve Improved Children's Health in Anniston, AL
When the Public Says, “Huh?” Writing to Improve Understanding

Conference Contacts

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Conference Co-Chairs
Pat Carey
Office of Emergency and Remedial Response
Phone: 703-603-8772 Fax: 703-603-9100
E-mail: carey.pat@epa.gov

Chris Tirpak
Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances
Phone: 202-564-0546
Fax: 202-564-0540
E-mail: carey.pat@epa.gov

Conference Planning Coordinator
Lisa Gebler
Environmental Management Support, Inc.
Phone: 301-589-5318
Fax: 301-589-8487
E-mail: lisa.gebler@emsus.com

Poster Session Coordinator
Riti Dhesi
International City/County Management Association
Phone: 202-962-3657
Fax: 202-962-3500
E-mail: rdhesi@icma.org

Requests for Special Accommodations

It is EPA’s policy to make reasonable accommodation to persons with disabilities. To request special accommodations, please contact Lisa Gebler (Conference Coordinator) by July 8, 2003 at 301-589-5318 or by e mail at lisa.gebler@emsus.com.

To Register for the Conference

Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis until July 8, 2003, space permitting. The registration fee is $100 for registrants and $50 for presenters/panelists. There is no fee for EPA staff. You can register for the conference and submit payment online. Or, you can download and print a copy of the PDF of the conference invitation (at the top of the page). If you use the PDF, complete the registration form and mail or fax it to:

Environmental Management Support, Inc.
2003 EPA Community Involvement Conference and Training
8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 500
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Fax: 301-589-8487

A letter or e-mail message will be sent to you confirming your registration. About one month prior to the conference, registrants will be mailed a conference booklet containing the detailed agenda, abstracts for all sessions and field trips, speaker information, hotel and transportation information, and more. The conference booklet also will be available as a PDF and will be posted on this web page in early July 2003.

If You Need to Cancel Your Registration

To cancel your conference registration, please contact Lisa Gebler, EMS, at 301-589-5318, or click here. By informing us of your cancellation, other participants will be able to attend conference activities, such as a field trip or training course.