United States Environmental Protection Agency For more information You can view documents related to the Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River & Bay Contamination site in information repositories set up by EPA and MDEQ. The repositories are located in the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library, 1710 W. Saint Andrews St., Midland; the Hoyt Main Library, 505 Janes Ave., Saginaw; and the Alice and Jack Wirt Public Library, 500 Center Ave., Bay City. Information office EPA has opened a community information office in the Saginaw County Courthouse, 111 S. Michigan Ave., Saginaw. Usual hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed from noon to 1 p.m.). Or call 989- 790-5215. On the Web EPA dioxin investigation: http://www.epa.gov/region5/sites/ dowchemical Michigan dioxin information: http://www.michigan.gov/deqdioxin Sign up for the listserv If you would like to be e-mailed site updates, send a blank message to: dow_dioxin-subscribe@lists.epa.gov Contacts These EPA community involvement coordinators can answer questions: Patricia Krause 312-886-9506 krause.patricia@epa.gov Don de Blasio 312-886-4360 deblasio.don@epa.gov Region 5 toll free: 800-621-8431, 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., weekdays EPA Workshop to Discuss Community Advisory Group Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River & Bay Contamination Site Midland/Saginaw/Bay City Region, Michigan July 2009 Please join us at a public workshop to discuss the formation of a community advisory group for the Super fund cleanup of the Tittabawassee and Saginaw rivers and Saginaw Bay (Dow site). The workshop will be from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug. 15. A Superfund community advisory group or CAG is a way for people in the community to participate in providing coordinated, local input to the decision-making process at Superfund sites. It is a forum for community members to present and discuss their needs and concerns related to Superfund cleanup projects. A CAG assists U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in making better decisions by providing the Agency a unique opportunity to hear and seriously consider community preferences for site cleanups. At large and complex Superfund projects like the Dow site, CAGs can serve a critical role in ensuring all community issues are understood and considered. CAGs also work as a conduit making sure needed information is provided to area residents. EPA wants to work with the local communities to establish a CAG for this site. CAGs represent the whole community CAGs are designed to include a balanced membership that represents the full range of local interests and viewpoints. CAGs also need to be manageable in size to allow them to function effectively. Membership is often targeted to no more than 25. Therefore it is important to identify the range of interests that must be represented on the board and then seek a membership that reflects those interests. A large part of the August meeting will be devoted to discussing what interests and viewpoints need to be represented on the CAG. EPA does not pick CAG members EPA does not select the members or tell the advisory group how to operate, but will facilitate the creation of a group and provide resources for it to operate effectively. There are a number of different techniques for convening a CAG. EPA is proposing that a CAG selection committee, consisting of local leaders who would not serve on the CAG itself, be charged with identifying community members to represent the balance of interests. At the August meeting, we will discuss whether this process makes sense and who should be on the steering committee. Being a CAG member is a big commitment Being an effective CAG member takes real commitment. Most CAGs meet monthly to review and comment on technical documents and plans related to the environmental studies and cleanup activities at the site and to relay information between EPA and the community about the ongoing activities. For a site as large and diverse as the Dow site, subcommittees and special committees will also be used to study particular issues in depth, engage more stakeholders and help gather information and input from throughout the community. Being part of a CAG requires a significant commitment of time and interest. In addition to attending regular meetings and belonging to subcommittees, members will meet often with individuals and groups in the area to obtain their views and hear their concerns related to site cleanup issues. EPA will provide training, guidance, and some administrative and technical support, but being a CAG member is hard work—and an important job. The CAG belongs to the community. It will operate and act independently with an emphasis on people's health and protection of the environment as its major goals. ------- Join Us! On Saturday, Aug. 15, EPA will hold a meeting to discuss the formation of a CAG for the Dow Superfund site. After a brief presentation, attendees will be asked to participate in a facilitated discussion about the composition of an advisory group and about how to choose members. The meeting will be from 9 a.m. to noon at Saginaw Valley State University in Room ES 2021 Dining Room of the Regional Education Center. Meeting participants will work together to consider the following questions: • What interests and viewpoints need to be represented on a CAG? • How should individual CAG members be identified? • What are the most important questions for the CAG to address from a community standpoint? CAG members will not be selected at this meeting, however forms will be available for individuals to express interest in becoming a CAG member or a member of the selection committee should that process be chosen. Questions? Call Don de Blasio or Patti Krause (contact information on first page). jaded pspAoay uo paonpcuday 1Q uoou 01 -we 6 '91- '6nv :dOHS>idOM dflOUO AdOSIAQV AllNniAIIAlOO Vd3 069E-170909 II 'o6eo!MO (fY.-IS) UOJSJAJQ punjjedns g AouaBv |BIU8LUUOJ|AU3 S81BIS ------- |