&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste And
Emergency Response
(OS-420) WF
EPA510-B-93-001
January 1993
Organizing A
Consultants Day
A Guide For
UST Program Officials
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New Product News
Brochure
Training Manuals
Guidebook
Planning a Consultants Day? States share their tips and experiences in:
Organizing A Consultants Day
A Guide For UST Program Officials
A Consultants Day is a meeting that allows you, the organizer, to communicate state requirements
to the contractors and consultants involved in underground storage tank (UST) activities and to the UST
owners and operators they support. A Consultants Day provides an opportunity for everyone state
staff and consultants aliketo exchange information and express ideas openly. You and your staff can
learn ways to save time, be more efficient and effective, reduce delays, promote better, faster work in
the field, and improve protection of the environment.
This guide can help interested state agencies organize and conduct successful Consultants Days.
The guide combines examples from previously-held Consultants Days in other states with practical tips
for holding a successful event in your state. Six sections of the guide offer general information on how
to organize a Consultants Day, while Appendix A provides more detailed information on flowcharting,
an important tool in planning a Consultants Day.
EPA's Office of Underground Storage Tanks is distributing 10 copies of this guide to each EPA
Regional UST Program and 5 copies each to State UST and LUST Program Managers. To obtain
additional copies:
Fax your order to EPA's National Center for Environmental Publications and Information
FAX orders: 513 891-6685 or
Call EPA's RCRA/Superfund Hotline at 1 800 424-9346. A TDD line is available at
1 800 553-7672.
c/EPA
Office of Underground Storage Tanks, Washington, D.C. 20460
April 1993
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Organizing A Consultants Day:
A Guide For UST Program
Officials
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Underground Storage Tanks
Washington, D.C. 20460
January 1993
Printed on Recycled Paper
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Organizing A Consultants Day:
A Guide For UST Program Officials
Contents
Section
1. What Is a Consultants Day? . i-l
Other States' Experience . i-l
Getting Started 1-3
Using This Guide 1-3
2. Allocating Time and Money . . . n-l
Making the Most of Your Time n-l
Getting the Most for Your Money . . H-3
3. Getting Organized m-1
Set a Schedule and Agenda m-1
Make Meeting Arrangements m-3
Types of Presentations ffl-9
Plan Presentations m-10
Develop Evaluations m-14
4. Developing Handouts for Consultants IV-l
Guidance Manuals IV-l
Checklists . . IV-l
Brochures IV-2
Policy Statements IV-2
Videos IV-2
5. Keeping the Process Going V-l
Before They Go V-l
Gather Opinions 1 ..... V-l
Follow Through on Program Improvement ', V-2
Continue the Dialogue with the Regulated Community V-6
6. In Conclusion VI-1
Appendix A. Flowcharting Your Process A-l
Appendix B. List of References B-l
111
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Caption
Figures
Figure 1. Logistics Flowchart for Consultants Day .............. 'EI-2
Figure ฃ.; North Carolina Consultants Day Agenda . ...,..-. ,.Vj . .,?:.,.- .. ._ ., ;in-4
Figure 3. .Delaware Consultants Day Invitation .... ซ-,?,* ,;ป*., .->! . ... <., : ' HI-7
Figured. Delaware Consultants Day Registration ซ, -sซ ; ; ?^ i '
Form ...... ......-...- ..... . . ..... -.#*.ฃ .-'#*'.';." - ffl-8
Figure 5. Evaluation: North Carolina Consultants
Day Evaluation Form . ....... . iT? ฃ '.ป!*:.: ;1( '.^f '^'til-lS
1 >. J ; ... v;tl,f ; ;--< 'Kvf^ri ;:i|;,,,^;,U^\
Figure :6.. . Report Status . . . . ... ; .... .^^ -f, >, v . ,..:y fr. ^ ^^ ,ป(-.,, ; V-3
Figure 7. Contractor Performance ....... ................. V-4
Figure &.'* Turnaround Time for Corrective Action -Review . . 'ปป. ;ซ-: ซ^ . n ^ V-5
Figure 9. 'FoUowup Survey for the Maryland Consultants' ' ''* *' *'; r '
& , J|, D ^ , , , . ; , , . u^uv.^iisj, "'.'ป ax;k&\? r^st y_7
Figure IjO!", San Diego Free Product Removal Process . f *? ".^'/f ".*^. ;^- ; * A~2
Figure'll. 'North Carolina Corrective Action Process .' :""'*'*g^ "** J: ' '! '
" "' 'for Trust Funds . . . .,'. . . . ..... . . . A1 : ***:*'. "'': '\' A''' A-3
IV
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Tables
Titles Page
Table 1. State Contacts for Consultants Day
Information 1-2
Table 2. Resource Requirements for Consultants Day . . . n-2
Table 3. Possible Consultants Day Topics m-11
Table 4. Presentation Tips m-13
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SECTION I. WHAT IS A CONSULTANTS DAY?
A Consultants Day is a meeting that allows you, the organizer, clearly to communicate state
requirements to the regulated community. Personnel from state and local agencies design,
develop, and conduct the meeting for contractors and consultants involved in underground
storage tank (UST) activities and for the UST owners and operators they support.
A Consultants Day provides an opportunity for everyonestate staff and consultants aliketo
exchange information and express ideas and concerns openly. As a result, state rules become
clearer to the regulated community, and the regulated community's concerns become clearer
to the state. You and your staff can learn ways to save time, be more efficient and effective,
reduce delays, promote better, faster work in the field, and improve protection of the
environment.
Whether it is a one-time event or part of a larger, ongoing effort, a Consultants Day enables
you to examine your work processes critically and improve them over time,
Other States'Experience
Maryland, Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Carolina, Virginia,
Delaware, and Utah have used the Consultants Day concept successfully. These state
agencies are, of course, an excellent source of information on Consultants Days. Table 1
provides a listing of state contacts for more information.
All of these Consultants Days have received very favorable responses. In Maryland, for
example, comments included:
"Excellent job!"
"Educated me on what the state agencies expect from my end and focuses my work."
"The state was very clear as to how they operate and have stated both verbally and in
writing what is important to them."
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TABLE 1. STATE CONTACTS FOR CONSULTANTS DAY
INFORMATION
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
Underground Storage Tank Branch
(302) 323-4588
Ernil Onuschak
Nebraska Department of Environmental Control
Water Quality Division
(402) 471-4230
David Chambers
North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources
Division of Environmental Management
{919)733-7015
Burrie Boshoff
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Community Relations
(217) 785-4729
Heather Nash
Utah Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Environmental Response & Remediation
(801) 536-4100
Bryon Elwell
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Since their Consultants Day, the Maryland staff have found that the quality of materials
submitted to them has improved. The staff feels that the Consultants Day provided the
opportunity to evaluate the agency program and to communicate clearly their requirements to
the community. One big advantage has been a reduction in incomplete paperwork, since
consultants now feel free to call state staff with questions.
Getting Started
Starting work on a Consultants Day is as simple as talking to members of the regulated
community; ask consultants or owners what might help them avoid delays. There are a
number of more formal techniques for opening the lines of communication: (1) establish ad
hoc committees on various technical issues that concern both consultants and state agency
personnel, (2) publish periodic newsletters that allow for feedback from readers, (3) set up a
hotline to answer questions from consultants, and (4) offer specialized seminars on
particularly troublesome aspects of the UST program.
A good first step in planning a Consultants Day is to look critically at your UST program,
understand how the program works, and identify areas that might be improved.
An excellent method for understanding how a program works is to describe it on paper by
developing a flowchart of the work process. A visual representation, such as a flowchart,
can quickly identify delays, uncertainties, quality problems, and opportunities for
improvement. State staff have used flowcharts as a prelude to Consultants Days and as a
tool for re-examining and continuously improving programs. Appendix A contains a more
complete presentation of how to develop flowcharts and also gives examples from North
Carolina and San Diego.
Using This Guide
This guide is intended to help interested state agencies organize and conduct a successful
Consultants Day. Examples from previously-held Consultants Days in other states are
combined with practical tips for planning a successful event in your state. The six sections
of this book offer general information on how to organize a Consultants Day, while
Appendix A offers further details on flowcharting.
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This guide presents a step-by-step process for planning and conducting a Consultants Day
from start to finish. You may wish to follow all, or only some of the steps. Your approach
can be tailored to fit your needs.
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SECTION II. ALLOCATING TIME AND MONEY
The amount of time and money you will need for your Consultants Day will depend on your
approach. Resource requirements for states that have conducted a Consultants Day vary
widely, as illustrated in Table 2. Although the amounts are different, the steps involved in
defining needs and obtaining resources are similar.
Making the Most of Your Time
Previous Consultants Day experience indicates that 2 to 5 months are needed to:
Analyze and understand the state process,
Survey consultants for input on areas that could be unproved,
Plan, design, and produce presentation materials,
Write, edit, assemble, and reproduce handout materials, and
Conduct the Consultants Day.
Each presenter will need from 40 to 120 hours of preparation time, depending upon the
number of presentations and the availability of existing reference materials. While this may
seem like a large amount of time, the benefits from this investment can be significant.
There are several ways to reduce the staff tune required to prepare for your Consultants Day:
Use "experts" from several areas hi your agency. If preparation is shared by a
number of individuals, the time-per-person requirement is reduced. This sharing
works best when one individual coordinates the planning and assembly of the
technical materials.
Ask others with Consultants Day experience. Contacts in other states may be
happy to give you information and share materials that they developed for their
Consultants Day. Ask for their insights on how to handle particular arrangements.
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TABLE 2. RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSULTANTS DAY
State
Utah
North Carolina
Delaware
Maryland
Virginia
No. of staff
15
14
17
5
10
State level of
effort, hours
-1,300
-800
-650
-250
-200
MRI level of
effort, hours
400
390
.250
400
300
Prep time,
months
4
3
3
4
2
Paper products
22 pg. notebook/
guidance manual
275 pg. guidance
manual
120 pg. guidance . ,
manual
75 pg. notebook
200 pg. notebook
No. of
attendees
140
:415
250
150
200
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Use; a contractor to help you:
Direct and coordinate planning,
Handle interviews with the regulated community and process results,
Work with state staff to develop technical materials and presentation slides,
Coordinate the Consultants Day arrangements, and
Assist with program evaluations.
EPA may be able to provide some contractor assistance.
Work with an industry group, such as your state's Petroleum Marketers
''Association. These people may be able to: -
''--" Survey the regulated community, .
Handle meeting arrangements, :'
Assist with program evaluations,
Serveas a link for future interactionswitti[consultants, and
-- " Produce, photocopy,'and distribute technical materials. <
Hire a college student to:
Help write and prepare technical materials,
Coordinate surveys for consultants,
Make meeting arrangements,
-- Handle program evaluations, and
Develop presentation materials.
Getting the Most for Your Money
Costs for setting up a Consultants Day can range from a few thousand dollars to over
$25,000, depending on the type of meeting arrangements and extent of preparation required.
In general, Consultants Day costs fall into three categories:
Wages for state staff and state agency/EPA contractors,
Rent (for hotel rooms and meeting space), and
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I
Production (developing, copying, and distributing presentation and reference
materials).
To cover these costs, consider a variety of funding sources:
Apply for EPA funding. Contact your EPA Regional Program Manager (RPM)
about accessing EPA's Regional/State Improvement Project funds for your
Consultants Day.
Contact industry and trade organizations, such as your state's Petroleum Marketers
Association, to coordinate planning and funding. Typically, these groups will
charge a fee ($25 to $55) for attendees to cover facility costs and production costs
for the reference materials.
Use existing state funds and facilities to cover the cost of producing the
presentation and reference materials. Hold the Consultants Day at a state office
building or conference center to reduce costs.
Work with professional organizations, such as engineering associations and
groundwater protection organizations. They may be willing to cosponsor the
meeting, handle the logistical arrangements, and underwrite some of the costs.
Use your Federal grant funding. A Consultants Day is an eligible activity under
your UST Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement if it focuses on corrective action.
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SECTION III. GETTING ORGANIZED
Getting organized for your Consultants Day involves setting a schedule and agenda, making
meeting arrangements, planning presentations, and developing evaluations.
Each of these steps, illustrated in Figure 1, is described below. (The flowchart allows for
2 months to plan the Consultants Day and 6 months to conduct a followup evaluation.)
Depending on the number of attendees and the amount of detail in your program, your
schedule may vary. You will need to use your judgment to tailor these activities to your
own needs.
Set a Schedule and Agenda
Planning the agenda and setting the schedule for a Consultants Day takes about 2 to 3 weeks
and involves four steps.
1. Meet to discuss the schedule and agenda:
Include representatives from the state offices who have responsibilities in
your program (this may include the air, water, groundwater, and solid
waste offices, and the legal department).
Set a date for the Consultants Day.
Identify possible topics to be covered by looking at program areas that are
troublesome to agency staff and unclear to the regulated community. The
group can identify these areas in a number of ways, based on their shared
understanding of how the program works and where it could be unproved.
Flowcharting, collecting and analyzing data, and identifying program areas
in need of improvement are some methods for defining these areas.
Discuss relative importance of topics, and determine the maximum number
of topics to be covered.
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Day1
Day4 Day9
.SCHEDULE & AGENDA.
Reserve
Meeting
Room
Invitations
' :'
RSVP
Due
::*.
.Finalize
Meeting Room
Arrangements
MEETING ARRANGEMENTS
Day 7
Day20
"-Day 37
-Day 47
Day 30 Day 43
'"
.Finalize
PresentaJons
'.and
Handouts
Print
Handouts
PRESENTATIONS
Day 47
Day 87 - Day 90'
'
v-w CI/AI iiATinN'
CVALUAIIUN
Day 90
FOlLOW-UP EVALUATION
Day 240
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Identify candidate speakers (based on their experience in the topic area,
their public speaking ability, and their availability).
Develop a draft agenda (see the North Carolina Agenda in Figure 2).
2. Send the draft agenda to selected consultants:
Ask the consultants to review the agenda.
Request comments specifically on the proposed topics and what the
consultants think is important.
Specify a limited timeframe for response.
3. Collect the consultants' responses:
Compile the comments received on the agenda.
Evaluate the responses and make appropriate changes.
4. Finalize the agenda and distribute it to staff.
Make Meeting Arrangements
Making the meeting arrangements for your Consultants Day takes about 6 weeks and
involves six steps,
1. Reserve the meeting room.
Identify possible meeting locations considering the expected number of
participants, cost constraints, and availability of the facility. Choose a
meeting location that is convenient for both state staff and attendees. If
participants must travel long distances, select a location that is close to an
airport and hotel.
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9:30 Director's Note
9:45 Introduction
Trust Funds Description v. <
10:15 Administrative Procedures .,. .
10:45 Reimbursement Procedures "r '
;:-'.rV-. st.. 'rv'f
11:30 Question/Answer
12:00 Lunch ';'
1:00 Notification/Initial Abatement Pjroced^res,
1:30 Procedures of Site Assessment';- ' rVs" ;;
technical requirements/report format
2:00 Corrective Action
SOC & administrative
2:30 Question/Answer
3:00 Break
3:15 Permits
3:30 Legal Aspects
4:00 Closing Comments
George Everett
Burrie Boshoff
Paul Washington
:-i\;, :: Tracy Newnham/
Cindy Perry
_
Barbara Christian
""- ?; Linda Raynor
'I I.,::-,- ^.J-r
Linda Blalock
BiU Reid
Peter Rascoe
Burrie Boshoff
Figure 2. North Carolina Consultants Day Agenda.
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Choose the right room. The size and layout of the room are important in
terms of the comfort of your attendees and their ability to hear and see
presentations.
There are three basic options for room size and layout:
Classroom-style rooms with tables for note-taking are often
available at hotels or university conference centers and are
suitable for up to 150 attendees.
Auditorium seating is normally available in larger hotels and will
seat up to 400; however, attendees will have to take notes in
their laps, since desks will not usually be provided.
University conference halls are a good choice for large turnouts
(300-400) because desks are normally available at each seat.
If your advance registration figures predict an unusually high attendance,
you might want to consider scheduling more than 1 day and more than one
location- This way you can reach a wider audience, and consultant firms
may be able to send more than one representative if the meeting is offered
on different days.
Don't forget that even if you have to rent a larger room than you
anticipated or schedule more than 1 day, you can always charge a nominal
fee ($10-$ 15 per person) to cover your expenses.
Decide whether to serve lunch or arrange local options for participants, and
determine what to serve at breaks (coffee, tea, and soft drinks). Although
it has little to do with the presentations, food is always an important topic.
The questions of whether and how to feed your audience should be worked
out long before the Consultants Day arrives.
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Typically, a Consultants Day will last for about 8 hours and necessitates
some sort of lunch plan. Here are some possibilities for lunch:
Charge a fee to cover lunch and have the hotel or university
cater the meal. This is a good way to keep your group together
and encourag6 discussion through lunchtime.
If you don't want to provide lunch, then choose a location near
restaurants or other eateries to give attendees a choice of where
they eat. Once your "captive" audience leaves for lunch,
however, you have no assurance they will return. You will also
have to allow more time for lunch if attendees must leave the
Consultants Day site.
A third alternative is to contract with the hotel or university for
an onsite, pay-as-you-go lunch, such as an onsite restaurant.
Again, this keep the group together and encourages discussion.
The issue of whether to serve snacks at breaks depends on your budget.
Coffee and tea are normally sufficient, but check the prices on light
snacks, such as cookies or rolls.
Make necessary arrangements for slide and overhead projectors, a podium
table setup, lighting, air conditioning, and microphones.
Formally reserve the room.
2. Develop the invitations and mailing list and mail invitations:
Develop invitation and Registration form (see Figures 3 and 4).
Use suggestions from state personnel, sponsors, and state-based
professional orgaru^ations as well as the contractors on the state contractors
list to compile your mailing list.
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DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK BRANCH
The Underground Storage Tank Branch announces a Consultants Day that will be held on
Wednesday. December 5. 1990. in Clayton Hall at the University of Delaware in Newark.
The purpose is to present, for consultants and other interested members of the regulated
community, Branch perspectives on the UST program in Delaware. Topics to be
addressed include:
- a summary of changes embodied in the Department's newly-revised UST
regulations,
recommended procedures described in the Branch's new Technical Guidance
Manual,
how to make a successful data base query,
the Department's expectations and evaluation criteria for site investigations, and
other field work and the elements of successful reporting to the Department.
The program is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Underground
Storage Tank Branch. Registration is first-come, first-served. Attendance is limited to
two key people per company who can then brief their colleagues. A limited number of
walk-in registrations will be accepted the morning of the program. The registration fee
includes lunch on the premises and all break refreshments.
Registration and pickup of conference materials will begin at 8:00 am in Room 128,
Clayton Hall, which is located on the North Campus of the University of Delaware. Free
parking adjoins the hall. Directional signs for Clayton Hall are posted along area streets.
The program will conclude by late afternoon and will allow ample time for questions and
answers. Advance questions are encouraged and can be sent to DNREC by facsimile or
mail (Emil Onuschak, Jr., DNREC-UST Branch, Fax: 302-323-4561, 715 Grantham
Lane, New Castle, DE 19720). The opportunity will be provided to ask additional
questions the day of the conference.
Figure 3. Delaware Consultants Day Invitation.
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Make check or money order ($15 per attendee) payable to
check or money order and registration form by November 15, 1990, to:
. Send
State Agency Coordinator
Any Street
Any Where, USA
Name:
Name:
Company:
Address:
City/State/ZIP:
Phone:
Do you want to order copies of the reyised Regulations?
i
Do you want to order copies of the Technical Guidance Manual? [Y] [N]
I copiesฎ $25 =
[Y] [N]
copies @ $15=.
TOTAL ENCLOSED: $
Figure 4. Delaware Consultants Day Registration Form.
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Mail the meeting invitations, and request responses via facsimile or mail
within 2 weeks of receipt of the invitation.
If money and space are limited, you may wish to limit attendance to one or
two attendees per firm. Specify this in the invitation, with an option to add
more attendees as space permits after the due date for registration.
3. Compile responses. Organize the list of attendees, prepare nametags, and
: process the meeting registrations and evaluations. Develop the final list of
attendees (include names, addresses, and telephone numbers for future
reference).
4., Finalize meeting arrangementsconfirm meeting room arrangements and catering
decisions.
Types of Presentations
You will want to arrange interesting presentations on the variety of topics you have
identified. Let your presenters know that they are not restricted hi the way they make their
presentation. Several options are available for making presentations.
Panel presentations offer an excellent method of answering
questions and responding to important issues.
Working group sessions work well if you send attendees material
in advance for their review. This ensures better participation.
Lecture presentations, in which one presenter addresses the
audience on a single issue, is always an efficient method.
As there are different methods of presenting your ideas, there are numerous possible topics
for presentations. Just a few include: an overview of the program, the corrective action
process, notifications (tank regulations, leak detection requirements, secondary recovery
systems, tank-tightness testing, and inventory control), initial abatement of releases, tank
m-9
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closures and tank installation, site assessment, corrective action 'alternatives, permitting, and
Trust Fund requirements. (See Table 3 for more ideas on topics.)
Another important consideration is where the presenters will be seated during the day, in the
audience or at the front of the room. While either arrangement will work, experience shows
that seating presenters in the audience encourages discussion between presenters and
attendees. Placing presenters at the front of the room tends to distance the attendees and
may create an "us versus them" feeling in the room.
Plan Presentations
Preparing presentations and drafting materials can take about a month and involves five
steps:
1. For each presentation, develop a draft outline and materials, including slides,
overheads, and technical materials. Slides take the longest to produce and need
to be done early. Design diagrams and figures that enhance your presentations.
Write the text for the slides. Generate figures on a computerized graphics
system or excerpt good examples from actual consultant reports.
2. Conduct a dry run for content and organization. Make "first cut" presentations
to one another and critique the presentations for content, organization, and style.
3. Finalize the presentations and handout materials:
Finalize the presentations over the last 2 weeks and prepare for a dress
rehearsal to be held a day or two before the meeting.
Review and revise the text and figures for the slides and, if necessary,
make arrangements with graphics companies (some accept slides via
modem) and photocopy centers.
Make hard copies of the slides to give to meeting attendees for reference
during the presentations if you wish.
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TABLE 3. POSSIBLE CONSULTANTS DAY TOPICS
Program Overview
Structure of Organization
Statutory Authority
Regulatory Authority
Program size (number of regulated tanks, number of releases/yr,
number of staff, etc.)
Program history (evolution, changes, new regulations)
Corrective Action Process
Step-by-step procedures
Timeframes
Notifications
Tank regulations, leak detection requirements...
Secondary recovery systems
Notification of tank closures
Upgrades to systems
Leak detection installation
Tank-tightness testing
Initial Abatement of Releases
Spill, leak, discharges characterization
Emergency response
Interior remedial measures
Initial site characterization
Tank Closures and Tank Installation
Applications
Excavation documentation
Tank conditions
Observations
Soil stockpiling (sampling and analysis)
Backfills and upgrades
Site Assessment
Work Plan preparation and review
Field activities
Laboratory methods
Data collection, analysis, interpretation
Data presentation
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Include additional information on program requirements and policies to
serve as a reference for consultants in the future.
4. Print handouts-Print sufficient copies of the handouts, including technical
materials, a list of attendees, speaker profiles, and an evaluation form to provide
each attendee with a set. A list of reference documents for each topic, sample
forms for permits, a standard notification form, and extra samples of good and
bad work can be included in .a guidance manual.
5. Conduct a dress rehearsal for all speakers and presentation materials.
As you are planning your presentation, consider the following tips, which are outlined in
Table 4.
Be clear in your message; be able to summarize your talk in 1 minute.
Coordinate your presentation with others to be sure your points will not be
covered by someone else. Crear your discussion to your audience.
Do not use repetitive, empty phrases, such as "Urn," "Well-a," or "O.K., O.K."
Do not end a speech with "Thank you," "Are there any questions," or "That's
all I have to say." Instead, summarize your major messages in a new, more
forceful or catchy way.
Do give your speech a strong ending.
When using slides, remember: (1) make them readable from 100 feet, (2) use
no more than five lines per slide, (3) make sure the material is best seen from ;
the center of the slide, and (4) keep the slide material simple.
Another important item to consider as you plan your presentation is how to handle questions.
You may wish to air questions during the presentations, wait to answer questions at the end
of the presentations, or wait until the end of the day and address questions on all
presentations at once.
r
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TABLE 4. PRESENTATION TIPS
Tips for a Great Presentation
Be very clear about the two or three major messages you want to get across and be very direct about
them. ^
Be able to summarize your entire talk in 1 minute (you never know what may happen; plus, the exercise
helps clarify your major messages).
Stay strictly within your allotted time (so that other speakers have an equal chance, there is time for
questions, and the moderator doesn't have to start a frantic juggling act).
Coordinate your presentation with the other panel members in advance to be sure your points won't be
covered by someone else.
Think about what "success" means for the session you will be participating in. What do you want people
to walk away with and feel they have learned?
Try to answer each question in 30 seconds.
Remember to gear your remarks toward your audience.
What Not to Sav
A, a,a,a,a...
Um, um, um, um, urn...
Well-a, And-a,a...
Yaknow...
O.K., Okay?
Well, well, well... or repetition of any first word
Excessive use of "I" or "I think"
How Not to End a Speech
Thank you...
That just about covers it...
Are there any questions?...
This concludes my remarks.
That's all I have to say...
How to End a Speech
Have a good last line - one that is powerfully written and powerfully stated.
Pause after your last point, look around to all parts of the audience, and say your last words.
Guidelines for Slides
Must be readable from 100 feet
Maximum of five lines per slide
Material is best seen from center of the slide
Dark letters on a pastel background are best
Make it simple avoid complex charts and explain it if not easily understandable
Don't reproduce memos or complicated tables on slides; they will not be readable
Include an 8'xfc X 11" copy for notebook
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In Delaware, attendees wrote down their questions on index cards that were distributed
during breaks. Later, presenters formed panels to answer questions. The staff answered
some of the lengthier questions by mailing handouts to attendees after the meeting.
(Recording questions is also a good way of focusing on high-confusion areas. If a lot of
questions revolve around one issue, then that is an issue you will want to address later in
some detail.)
Develop Evaluations
To attain the maximum benefit from your Consultants Day and to help you identify areas in
[
need of further improvement, conduct evaluations of the day.
1. Prepare an evaluation form to include in the package you distribute at the
Consultants Day. Aim your evaluations at learning how well you communicate
with your audience, and ask for suggestions about improvements (see Figure 5).
2. Conduct a followup evaluation with.meeting participants approximately 6 months
after the meeting to see if they are still using the information you presented and
to determine if there are new data or information requirements that could form
the basis for another Consultants Day.
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Very Not very
useful Useful useful
1. Please check the appropriate box for the
following presentations: '
- Requirements of the NC Trust Funds
-- Notification, Initial Abatement
Site Assessments and Reports
~ Corrective Action Requirements
~ State Lead Contracts _____
Reimbursement Procedures
Permits, Legal Aspects
2. What topics would you have liked discussed that were not addressed?
3. The reference materials in the handouts are:
Good Fair Could have been better
4. What other information would you like to receive?
5. Do you feel you clearly understand the requirements to be eligible for either the
Commercial or the Noncommercial State Trust Fund?
6. This meeting has made your overall understanding of LUST Trust Fund procedures hi
North Carolina: Better Worse No different
Why? _
Figure 5. North Carolina Consultants Day Evaluation Form.
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7. What pleased you most about the conference?
The least?
8. Do you feel you clearly understand North Carolina's requirements for reimbursements
as a result of this conference? Yes No
9. Would you like to receive more of this sort of information from DEHNR?
If so, how? (Check appropriate choice)
Newsletter
Consultants Day _
Special Topics Meetings
Other?
Other comments
Please complete and leave at the Conference or mail to:
Thank you for your participation.
Figure 5. (continued)
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SECTION IV. DEVELOPING HANDOUTS FOR CONSULTANTS
The materials distributed to attendees at the Consultants Day meeting should enhance the
presentations and provide clear information on the state program requirements. The time and
effort you spend preparing presentations and handout materials will greatly affect how the
information is received.
Guidance Manuals
Many state agencies have prepared guidance manuals to support their presentations. The
guidance manuals can include:
Policies and procedures,
Copies of the slides used in the presentations,
Good and bad examples of reporting,
Checklists for reporting requirements,
Names and phone numbers of people to contact when doing UST work, and
Flowcharts of the state corrective action process.
The manuals often contain a complete discussion of all the program requirements. This can
take a significant amount of time to prepare. Two staff working half their available time can
spend from 3 to 5 months preparing the discussion.
Checklists
Some states have condensed their requirements into checklists. This format is brief, to-the-
point, and easy-to-follow. Although this approach leaves less room for describing
innovative approaches, it works particularly well if your agency is short on time and is clear
on its expectations from the regulated community.
IV-1
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Brochures.
Several states have developed brochures to explain various aspects of their UST programs
and provided them to consultants at the meeting as part of a package of materials on state
policies and requirements. Brochures tend to be brief and very easy to follow. Also, state
staff can easily use brochures to respond to questions they receive from consultants, owners
and operators long after the meeting.
Policy Statements
Often states hold Consultants Days to explain new regulations or policies that need
clarification. Staff can explain such new information fairly simply by using policy statements
to address particular issues concerning the regulations, and memoranda to explain procedures
needed to carry out the regulations. This approach requires a relatively short preparation
time.
Videos
You may wish to use videos produced by the EPA or industry groups to explain methods for
conducting UST installations, removals, site assessments, and corrective actions. A list of
available references is provided at the end of this document.
ilV-2'
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SECTION V. KEEPING THE PROCESS GOING
Before They Go
Before your audience leaves at the end of Consultants Day, distribute the evaluation forms
that you prepared ahead of time. Once the attendees leave you might not see them again, so
this may be your best opportunity to solicit any further requests for information or to ask
them how the day went. Ask attendees to submit the completed evaluation forms before they
leave.
After the Consultants Day, you will need a way to measure improvements to
determine whether your efforts have brought about meaningful and permanent
change.
A successful Consultants Day tends to raise expectations that communication will
immediately be improved. Program improvement does not take place overnight,
however, but comes incrementally over time. Individual improvements can be
small but will add up to significant improvement.
Gather Opinions
Feedback from agency staff involved with the Consultants Day can help you evaluate your
success and determine your next step in the improvement process.
1. Solicit opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of the Consultants Day itself and
on the lessons learned about the program in the course of preparing for the meeting.
2. Interview all agency participants on the day of the event or have them complete
the same survey that the consultants used to evaluate the seminar.
3. Ask other staff members about the survey to help you determine how to hold
future forums and to pinpoint areas where the planning process can be unproved.
4. Tabulate and evaluate survey responses, and create a "program improvement"
strategy for addressing the concerns identified as soon as possible after the Consultants Day.
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Identify specific goals for improvement and decide on a few ways you can measure your
program's progress on a regular basis.
5. Distribute the results to all agency staff involved in the work.
Follow Through on Program Improvement
Once you have developed your improvement strategy, it is important to follow through.
1. Keep records and periodically report on progress and improvements. For
example, ask those responsible for reviewing various reports and plans to track, on a
monthly basis, the percentage of plans approved and rejected and the quality rankings for
each plan submitted. (See Figures 6 and 7.)
2. Tabulate the results and depict them in a graph you can distribute to all agency
staff. (See Figure 8.) ,
3. If no improvement has occurred, meet as a group to pinpoint the impediments to
progress and to solicit suggestions for removing these obstacles. This process becomes a
series of problem identification-solution steps, For example, if data indicate no decrease in
the time to complete reviews of corrective action plans, pinpoint the specific areas where
delays occur.
It is possible, for instance, that review times have not decreased due to:
Miscommunication between agencies or departments involved in the reviews,
Ambiguities in the regulations or guidance, and
Lack of knowledge by agency staff | or the regulated community.
[
Rather than dealing with all three causes at once, focus your initial efforts on the areas where
early success is most likely. In this example, tackling the communication problems between
agencies may be most amenable to early resolution. Improving interagency communications
increases prospects for good communication between the regulators and the regulated
community.
V-2 '
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Report/Work Plans from Consultants/RP's
Complete
More paperwork
required
More field work
Other:
Tj
S'
C
CD
O5
(D
X3
O
.
"a
Cfl
For the duration of this data collection period, please, indicate the status, of consultants/RP's report or
work plan upon completion of the review by placing a tick mark (i.e., 5 tick marks = 4444 in the
appropriate column. ;
ESTIMATE ;
*
" '" ' "_-""- ป ...-(. .. * ..-,-. ,
How many hours do you typically spend reviewing a report from a consultant/RP per day/week?
/ r ; ' :
How many hours do you typically spend reviewing a revision of a previously ^submitted report per
day/week: /_ :: ^ \
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INSPECTOR
MONTH
Contractor:
Safety
Sampling
Disposal:
SoU
Product
Tank
Good
jFair
[(Correction
required)
Poor
(Stop activity)
Comments:
Figure 7. Contractor Performance.
V-'4
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s
(01
<0
I
g
I' >,
"" I
-t.., .
r -"
o
<0
* - ' .' ;!
.>.-..,: '-. ^t.,St
i:
11
o
(sXep)
Figure 8.--Turnaround Time for Corrective Action Plan Review.
V-5
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4. After several reporting periods, see if trends emerge that indicate that the process
is improving.
5. If there are no trends readily identified, focus on more specific areas of the
process where problems tend to recur.
Continue the Dialogue With the Regulated Community
Conducting a followup survey (see Figure 9) with event participants after allowing time for
real change to occur is a good way to continue the dialogue with the regulated community.
A followup evaluation of the Consultants Day held in Maryland yielded information about:
The extent to which lasting improvements were made within the program as a
result of the Consultants Day,
Ways in which additional Consultants Day activities could enhance the prospects
for long-term improvements,
Key technical areas where the state could improve its program, and
Suggestions for maintaining dialogue with the regulated community.
There are a number of other technologies for fostering communications:
Annual Consultants Days can keep consultants up-to-date on changes in the
program and agency staff up-to-date on concerns of the regulated community.
Preparing for subsequent Consultants Days requires less effort than does preparing
for the first one. Be sure that subsequent Consultants Days are not merely repeats
of the first event. Highlight new changes in agency requirements and procedures.
Publicize statistics that show where areas have improved over the year since the
first Consultants Day.
Targeted meetings can be used to addtess specific concerns. Targeted meetings
focus on a few key elements for which input from the regulated community is
particularly critical. Agendas for. targeted meetings are relatively narrow in focus,
V-6
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1. Given that several months have passed, do you now think it was worth
your time attending the Consultants Day?
Very Worthwhile Worthwhile . Not Worth the Time
2. What have you found to be useful from the Consultants Day in your work?
3. Have you shared the information from the Consultants Day with others in
your company?
Yes No
If yes, what has been useful to other staff in your company?
4. What changes (positive or negative) have you noticed within your company
as a result of the Consultants Day?
5. If the Consultants Day had no impact on your work or made your job
harder, what do you feel needs to be done to improve it?
6. As compared to before the Consultants Day, how are your interactions
with owners/operators?
Better Worse No Different
Figure 9. Followup Survey for the Maryland Consultants Day.
V-7
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7. How would you rate your relationship with the state:
a. As compared to before the Consultants Day?
Better Worse No Different
b. Overall?
Good Fair Poor
8. How do you .feel about the adequacy Of your access to state staff?
a. Better Worse No Different
b. Overall?
Good Fair Poor
9. As compared to before Consultants Day, how is your understanding of the
state's requirements? ., , ,
Better
Worse
No Different
10. How has your need to contact the state to acquire clarification or other
information changed? .
Decreased Increased No Different
Requirements of the HSWMA
Site investigations and
assessments
Field investigation tech.
Well installation
Documentation, QA/QC
Air quality issues
Cleanups and removals
Figure 9. Followup Survey for the Maryland Consultants Day
Held on February 15, 1990 (continued).
V-8 '
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11. How would you rate your relationship with the state:
Yes No
If no, what could change your mind?.
12. Would you be interested in attending another Consultants Day seminar
where new material was presented by the state?
-. - Yes
No
13. Would you prefer to receive a newsletter on new material, or would you
be interested in both a seminar and a newsletter?
14. If another seminar was held, what subjects would you like to see
discussed? r ' ' nl
Field measurements
- methodology
- instramentation
Sampling procedures
Laboratory methodology ;
State regulatory program changes
Other (please specify)
15. Would you like to see more case histories discussed?
Yes No
16. What suggestions do you have for improving the next Consultants Day?
Figure 9. Followup Survey for the Maryland Consultants Day
Held on February 15, 1990 (continued).
V-9
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and participants are more alike hi terms of their disciplines and interests than are
attendees at a Consultants Day. For example, if compliance with groundwater
monitoring requirements is a major concern, then a targeted meeting focused on
state requirements may be very productive. Invite only hydrogeologists and agency
groundwater experts. Conduct a follbwup survey of meeting participants to
determine the value of the meeting and to identify remaining concerns.
Ad hoc committees are small groups of experts who meet periodically to review
specific issues and to attempt to resolve these issues. Unlike attendees at
Consultants Day seminars and participants in targeted meetings, committee
members are expected to contribute actively. They may, for example, prepare
recommendations and resolutions for the committee. Determine beforehand how to
integrate committee actions into the program improvement strategy.
Newsletters can effectively communicate program improvements to the regulated
community. Focus on program developments in a simple and low-cost way. For
example, your first newsletters can consist of simple cover letters summarizing
detailed attachments, such as guidance or proposed regulations. Provide names
and telephone numbers of persons to contact for more information. You can
eventually expand this format into a newspaper-like document.
Brochures on specific topics are another tool for communicating program
improvements to the regulated community. Brochures have a special appeal
because you can design them to catch your reader's interest and serve as a. quick
reference resource. Because producing a brochure can require substantial
resources, however, you may want to reserve them for announcing special
developments, such as promulgation of new regulations or major program changes.
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SECTION VI. IN CONCLUSION
Experience has shown that any time a state agency holds a Consultants Day, everyone
benefits from the event. The Agency staff develop a better understanding of their program,
and consultants develop a better understanding of agency expectations. Consultants Days
have proven to be an excellent method for developing two-way communications with the
regulated community.
We hope that this booklet helps you as you plan and undertake your Consultants Day. As
the first step, however, we urge you to take some time to look critically at your program and
identify some areas or processes you would like to improve. As is true of most successful
efforts, the more you invest in your Consultants Day up front, the greater the benefits that
will accrue in the end.
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Appendix A. Flowcharting Your Process
The single best way to help you understand how your program works and to prepare for your
Consultants Day is to describe your program on paper. You can easily develop a flowchart
of your work process to help identify delays, uncertainties, quality problems, and
opportunities for improvement. Agency staff have used flowcharts as a prelude to their
Consultants Days and as a way to re-examine and continuously improve their programs.
There is no set formula for developing process flowcharts. Every flowchart should be
prepared to accurately represent its specific program elements. The flowcharts from
California and North Carolina, presented in Figures 10 and 11, were originally constructed
by several staff in 1-day "brainstorming" sessions. Staff circulated the charts to all
appropriate agency personnel and to consultants and then revised them on the feedback they
received. The entire process took approximately 2 weeks.
To develop a flowchart, follow these easy steps:
1. Gather together a group of people who do the work that you want to evaluate.
The more parts of the process represented, the more accurate the flow diagram.
2. Designate one person as the group leader to direct the discussion and keep the
conversation moving forward. The group leader asks the question "What's next?" after each
step is described.
3. Designate one person as the official "scribe" to record all the major steps as they
are identified. The scribe will need to use appropriate flowchart symbols and to capture
comments clearly in a few words. If possible, select someone who is not personally invested
in the work process, such as a contractor.
' 4. Use a blackboard, white board, or flipchart to record each step as the discussion
progresses.
5. Be honest in describing how things really work or do not work. The point of this
exercise is not to cast blame on people but to identify what is wrong with the existing
process and how the process can be improved. Therefore, it is important to describe the \
process as it really is, not as it should be.
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COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO
FREE PRODUCT (FP)
REMOVAL PROCESS
\aaam
VOLUME MCOVIMD
.IMMTOMMa
Figure 10. San Diego Free Product Removal Process.
A-2
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Figure 11. North Carolina Corrective Action Process for Trust Funds.
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6. Do not get bogged down in steps that are unclear or unknown-leave an open box.
Fill in the blanks later, after the whole process has been outlined. Strive for a balance
between detail and manageability of the flowchart. You need not include every detail of
every step.
7. Once you have identified all the steps, go back into the flowcharts and assign
timeframes to the major steps. Use actual itimes needed to complete each major step, not
ideal times.
8. Produce a clean version of the completed flowchart and circulate it to all parties
involved in the process, including consultants and owners/operators, for their review.
9. Incorporate or restate all the comments. Highlight those steps or areas where the
process is not working well. These areas will serve as the subject of future data collection
and analysis.
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APPENDIX B. LIST OF REFERENCES
Guidance Manuals
"Underground Storage Tanks Branch Technical Guidance Manual." Delaware
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. June 1990.
"Guidance Manual for Petroleum-Belated LUST Cleanups in Illinois." Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency, Division of Land Pollution Control. Spring 1990.
"Consultant's Day." Maryland Dqjartment of Environment, Hazardous and Solid
Waste Management Administration. February 1990.
"Consultants Day Notebook." North Carolina Department of Environment, Health
and Natural Resources, Division of Environmental Management, Groundwater
Section. September 1990.
Consultants Day Seminar - Leaking Underground Storage Tanks -Corrective Action.
state of Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Environmental
Response and Remediation. January 30, 1992.
Checklists
"Assessment Workplan Checklist." Iowa Department of Natural Resources,
Underground Storage Tank Section.
"Assessment Report Checklist." Iowa Department of Natural Resources,
Underground Storage Tank Section.
Brochures
"Selecting Your Environmental Consultant or Contractor." Delaware Department of
Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Underground Storage Tank Branch.
"Response Actions for Petroleum Leaks and Spills from Underground Storage Tanks
in Illinois." Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Spring 1990.
"Illinois Underground Storage Tank Program: A Cooperative Approach." Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency. Spring 1990.
"The Illinois Underground Storage Tank Fund." Illinois Environmental Protection
Agency. Winter 1989.
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