Appendix B 



Building An Effective Public 

 Participation Program 



This appendix of A Primer for Establishing and Manag- 

 ing Estuary Projects provides guidance on how to 

 establish and manage a public participation program. 

 The Primer, which describes the National Estuary 

 Program's origins, statutory provisions, and approach, 

 is designed for EPA's programs and regional offices, 

 coastal states, and other interested parties. For more 

 information, contact an EPA regional office. 



Informing and involving the public and getting its support can be 

 the most difficult aspect of an estuary program, yet it is the 

 cornerstone of a successful program. An effective public participa- 

 tion effort will help ensure implementation of the Comprehensive 

 Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). This plan is the 

 product of a collaborative problem-solving process in which key 

 members of the public have been fully engaged. The desired 

 long-term improvements in the estuary will affect daily life through 

 better septic systems, water conservation, additional taxes, or 

 limits on some property uses. Everyone in the water basin needs 

 to understand his or her role as a user of the estuary. Because so 

 much is at stake, it is important to put the best talent, adequate 

 resources, and full program commitment into designing and execut- 

 ing an effective process foi" full public participation. 



This appendix provides guidance on what constitutes effective 

 public participation, how to design and structure a program, how to 

 carry it out, and what kinds of resources should be devoted to it. It 

 will help programs meet the statutory requirement that public 

 participation "be provided for, encouraged and assisted . . . ." as 

 well as the regulatory requirements of 40 CFR Part 25, "Public 

 Participation Under the . . . Clean Water Act." 



A Cornerstone of 

 Success 



B1 



