vvEPA / E PA-XXX- FS-XX-XXX TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES FOR COMMUNITIES ffnttfWm at the Phoenix-Goodyear Airport Area (PGA) Site www.epa.gov This fact sheet is part of a series that illustrates the services provided by U.S. EPA's Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) program. Community Technical Assistance Needs The PGA Superfund site is located 17 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona, mostly within the City of Goodyear. Aircraft maintenance activities and defense and aerospace equipment manufacturing over several decades led to the contamination of site soils and ground water with volatile organic compounds and metals. EPA listed the site on its National Priorities List of contaminated sites in 1983. Encompassing approximately 35 square miles, the site includes the Phoenix-Goodyear Airport and agricultural, residential and commercial areas. Since 2001, a local Community Advisory Group (CAG) has provided community input to EPA on site cleanup activities. More recently, additional interest in educational outreach and assistance for communities affected by the site led to the formation of the non-profit Environmental Community Outreach Association (ECO). With the CAG and ECO working in coordination, local citizens contacted EPA Region 9 in mid-2010 to request technical assistance services. EPA Region 9 contacted TASC and TASC conducted a community needs assessment to identify local concerns and priorities. As part of the assessment, TASC staff hosted an information-gathering meeting and conducted phone interviews with community leaders. The assessment identified educational outreach as a key community priority - to provide the communities of Avondale, Goodyear and Litchfield Park with an enhanced understanding of site conditions and future cleanup activities and milestones. The goal: to enable local citizens to engage as informed participants in the site's ongoing cleanup. The TASC Response TASC's Technical Assistance Specialists worked closely with the community to develop comprehensive educational outreach materials, including: • Community newsletters and flyers. • Maps and other graphics highlighting key site information for booths at local events. • Posters and related materials for presentations and community meetings. • Electronic information resources, including a website. TASC also provided training support to ECO staff, so that they are able to maintain and update the materials over time. ECO staff have been highly responsive, using the materials to reach out to local citizens at events, meetings and online. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Technical Assistance Services for Communities ------- Process Outcomes: Community Benefits TASC's services have laid the groundwork for expanded and enhanced community engagement at the PGA Superfund site. The educational outreach materials developed for the site are designed to reach diverse audiences across a range of media, and to be easily updated by the community over time. As stated in a recent ECO newsletter, "through education and outreach, community members, organizations and businesses in the affected area will better understand technical issues at the Superfund site. They will also be able to provide feedback and recommendations to EPA and take actions that promote a healthy and sustainable environment." "TASC has tremendously enhanced ECO's outreach efforts and ncreased community participation in the Superfund process." -Nadine Johnson, ECO Director TASC outreach materials at a recent community meeting. (Source: ECO) What is the TASC Program? www.epa.gov/superfund/community/tasc For more information on EPA's TASC program, please contact: Viola Cooper TASC Coordinator - EPA Region 9 (415) 972-3243 cooper.viola@epa.gov Technical Assistance Services for Communities is a u s EPA program that provides educational and technical assistance to communities affected by hazardous waste sites regulated by the Superfund and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act programs. TASC offers assistance to help communities better understand local hazardous waste issues and engage in the cleanup process. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Technical Assistance Services for Communities Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper ------- |