The recommendation of the federal Interagency Working Group on the Dredging Process (1994) was the development of public outreach and education programs to facilitate stakeholder involvement. Accordingly, one of four general objectives of the Great Lakes Dredging Team as expressed in its charter is: Facilitate effective communications and decision-making among federal and state agencies represented on the Dredging Team and between the team and key stakeholders.
The GLDT's work plan calls for the development and implementation of a public outreach plan. It also indicates that public outreach and information sharing will be a permanent and ongoing activity of the Dredging Team.
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- The Need for a Public Outreach Plan
A specific rationale for an outreach plan is the need to increase public awareness of dredging needs and activities and enhance public involvement and support for the process. This need is especially important for the Great Lakes and its vast freshwater resources. More than a century of industrial and agricultural activity has contributed pollution to the Great Lakes and their sediments. Concern over environmental effects of dredging and disposal of dredged material, the increasing unavailability of suitable disposal sites and dredging's role in supporting waterborne commerce have combined to elevate the issue on the region's public policy agenda.
Between 4 and 6 million cubic yards of sediment are dredged from U.S. waters within the Great Lakes Basin each year in order to maintain navigation channels for commerce and recreation, to clean water intakes, repair and replace waterfront infrastructure, and for environmental remediation. Dredging is a significant public interest in terms of the commerce, industries and jobs that rely on safe navigation channels, and the community and environmental benefits that result from the restoration of clean waterways and lakes.
An active and informed public helps ensure sound regulatory and financial decisions regarding dredging and the management of dredged material. Unfortunately, much of the information about dredging is contained in scientific literature and is not readily available to the general public. Public opinions and impressions of dredging and dredged material management are too often based on misunderstanding and misinformation. Efforts to educate and inform broad sectors of the public about dredging issues have been few, generally focused at a limited audience, and have lacked "staying power".
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- Elements of an Effective Outreach Plan
In order to effectively educate and inform broad sectors of the public in the Great Lakes Basin about dredging and the management of dredged material, three primary elements are needed: a network of local advocates; a regional advocate, and public outreach tools.
Experience has shown that individuals and/or groups with a local presence and stake in an issue can provide a very effective mechanism for community outreach and associated information and education activity. Local advocates for public outreach on dredging issues could be a port authority, marina association, remedial action plan (RAP) public advisory committee or other group with an interest in dredging. Potential roles include distributing information, soliciting community input, organizing/ conducting presentations and identifying additional information needs.
A regional advocate is needed to identify, encourage and support local advocates by assessing and responding to the individual and collective needs of the local advocates and developing and making available various tools for public outreach. The Great Lakes Dredging Team, comprised of representatives of the eight Great Lakes states and six federal agencies along with the Great Lakes Commission, has this role as regional advocate.
Outreach activity can involve multiple means to achieve its goals. Education/information sharing activities should utilize different dissemination means for the purpose of targeting different audiences or maximizing coverage such as through electronic information networks, fact sheets and brochure distribution, press contracts or piggybacking information presentation at appropriate forums.
As a first step in determining what outreach tools would be appropriate, the Great Lakes Dredging Team identified 45 potential local advocates to solicit ideas through a survey in early 1997.
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The survey questions were designed to elicit basic information on the importance of dredging for a particular place; the need for straight-forward information on Great Lakes dredging issues; the type of information and what kinds of communication/information sharing tools would be most useful.
In summary, most respondents underlined the importance of dredging (usually for navigation purposes) and the need for unbiased factual information about dredging and the dredging decision process. Almost all respondents indicated the need to consider dredging issues in a "holistic, integrative way acknowledging the economy/environment linkage." An example of this is recognizing the role of agricultural erosion in harbor sedimentation.
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The Great Lakes Dredging Team will employ various strategies and public outreach tools to ensure that its activities are directed at all targeted audiences, and effectively inform and educate members of those audiences. The following will be developed in 1998 and 1999:
Fact Sheets/Newsletters
A fact sheet series will be developed to augment the brochure and video. They will offer additional detail on various aspects of dredging and, in addition to a general audience, will address the needs of those with a specific interest (e.g., technical agency/industry staff, elected officials and other policy makers). For example, fact sheets will be prepared on the Great Lakes Dredging Team, beneficial use of dredged material, and confined disposal facilities. An array of regional newsletters (including the Great Lakes Commission ADVISOR), will be targeted for special inserts and/or periodic articles.
Outreach Via Electronic Networks
The Dredging Team will establish a home page/Web Site on the Internet and integrate it into the Great Lakes Information Network with links to other relevant pages. In addition to outreach-related information, it can also provide data, technical references and other material of broad interest.
Great Lakes Dredging Brochure
Illustrated with photographs and presented in a visually appealing format, this brochure will address items such as Great Lakes dredging history, the importance of dredging, equipment and process, economic and environmental considerations, and opportunities for public input.
Video
To complement the brochure, a video addressing similar topics will be developed. An emphasis will be placed on an introduction to dredging sites, equipment, process and benefits.
Speakers Bureau
The Dredging Team will produce a speakers bureau listing and service specifically related to Great Lakes dredging. Qualified speakers will be recruited to ensure their availability to speak to interested groups in a school, community group, professional association or other setting. The listing will be available in hard copy and online.
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- Expanding Public Outreach
In addition to federal and state agency representation on the Dredging Team, others representing the diverse stakeholders in the dredging process will be involved in public outreach plan implementation. Their input will be sought during the design and distribution of the information tools. These stakeholders include: port directors, dredging contractors, Great Lakes shipping companies (individually or via the Lake Carrier's Association), marinas, charter fishing businesses, environmental organizations as well as RAP Advisory Committees. Representatives from these groups will also be invited to meetings of the Dredging Team as observers or presenters for particular topics.
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Federal co-chair:
Bonnie Eleder
USEPA Region 5,
77 West Jackson Blvd.,
Chicago, IL 60604-3590
Phone: 312-886-4885
State co-chair:
Wayne Warren
Chief, Division of Real Estate and Land Management
Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources
Fountain Square, Bldg. C-4
Columbus, OH 43224
Phone: 614-265-6384
Staff Support:
Steve Thorp
Great Lakes Commission
Eisenhower Corporate Park
2805 S. Industrial Hwy, Suite 100
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-6791
Phone: 734-971-9135
Fax: 734-971-9150
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