Challenge:
Improve the working relationship between the federal agency and the state environmental commissioners who are members of ECOS.
Stateside Solution:
- We created a state/federal Work Group to address issues of mutual interest.
- We utilized the Work Group to develop tangible solutions to these mutual issues, such as a white paper dispelling myths surrounding internal workings of the federal agency as it relates to spending funds for cleanup; a protocol for a coordinated state/federal response to the media when a new contaminant is discovered; and a guidance document outlining a process for determining cleanup levels for newly-discovered contaminants.
- We secured full support of the process and work product of the Work Group through the ECOS resolution process.
Results:
The Work Group improved working relationships with environmental commissioners while developing solutions to complex problems.