EPA starts online town hall

Interactive Internet session is part of new 'Ask EPA' program

By PAULA BARR
Daily Journal Staff Writer

Ever wonder how and why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) makes its decisions? Now you have a chance to ask questions and get answers online during a one-hour chat.

The interactive Internet session is part of a new “Ask EPA” program that began Nov. 1. Senior EPA officials will answer questions about a wide range of environmental and human health issues every Thursday on its Web site, http://www.epa.gov/askepa. Citizens may submit their questions up to two days in advance by going to the site, or may wait until the live session.

This week’s session runs from 1-2 p.m. central standard time on Thursday. Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock will discuss how EPA measures  its performance and finds new ways to deliver environmental results. Peacock also will address his new blog “Flow of the River.”

The first session, on Nov. 1, featured Administrator Stephen L. Johnson Change, who spoke about energy and the agency’s “Change a Light” campaign. A transcript of that session is available online at http://www.epa.gov/askepa/transcripts/askepa110107.html. The EPA plans to post transcripts of all sessions.

Different topics are featured each week. The agency plans to evaluate the new program after the first few sessions, spokesmen said.

Citizens may sign up on the Web site to receive e-mail alerts for upcoming hosts and topics at http://www.epa.gov/askepa/index.html.

 Topics will be fairly broad. Questions about specific issues such as the EPA look into the off-road vehicle area at Joe State Park are better addressed by the local EPA office. The number for Region 7, which serves Missouri, is 1-800-223-0425. The District office is open from  8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Paula Barr is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 172 or at pbarr@dailyjournalonline.com.

 

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