Communications Committee: Meetings & Calls

Committee Conference Call Minutes,
May 30, 2000

NEXT MEETING:

Tuesday, June 6, probably 9:30 am MDT. Al will make arrangements and notify.

PRESENT:

Ruth McCormick, Al Zemsky, Cyra Cain, Dan Clark, Charles Malarkey for Pat Port, Karen Deike, Kathy Van Dame, Carl Bowman, Barry Aarons, Pat Murdo, Jan Miller, Colleen Delaney for the Market Trading Forum, Pat Cummins and Bill Grantham. Debbie Stackhouse and Lourdes Morales of EPA in North Carolina were present for discussion of telecast possibilities.

TELECAST POSSIBILITIES:

Al Zemsky investigated the possibility of taping and televising one of the August public meetings in time that viewers could submit public comments. Debbie and Lourdes reported that a local video crew would cost $3500-5000. The cost to use EPA's network is $10,000 and EPA might be able to pick up that portion of the costs. This would include beginning and ending graphics and the uplink cost. A list of all of EPA's downlink sites is available at www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/eog. Dan Clark suggested we would reach a wider audience by downlinking to community colleges. Pat Murdo suggested broadcast over executive web TV www.exbtv.com. Debbie noted that through KUC band, we could make the video available to all viewers with satellite dishes at a cost of $1500/hour and advertise the coordinates. Or we could videotape one hearing and put a note on the Web site noting that copies are available from WGA; that might put too much burden on the WGA staff to make copies (@ $7.00 each) and distribute them.

There was extended discussion of whether this would be worth the cost. Is it adequate to have a notice in the Federal Register alerting people who will access the Web site? Are there people and organizations outside the West who would be interested in offering comments? Is the audience only the stakeholders who will participate in the trading program, or does it include those people who use and value western Class I areas; if the latter, do they care enough to make comments? Opinions about the amount of money that would be worthwhile to spend varied from $7000 to $20,000.

Al Zemsky, Dan Clark, and Pat Murdo will do some further investigation on this. If we want to do it, we need to decide soon and set August meeting dates.

FLYER:

Karen has added the Flagstaff meeting information and corrected a few formatting problems. Pat Cummins will check with Colorado to see if they want a meeting now, and Karen will email a final version to all committee members. If you have trouble downloading it, notify her right away and she will FedEx a paper copy. Target mailing date is June 1. Cyra reported that Montana and Washington do not intend to distribute the flyer now. Dan Clark will work with South Dakota because they do intend to distribute. Pat Murdo is working with Oregon and Idaho. Jan will investigate whether material with the WGA return address can be dropped into state mail systems or whether states need to use their own return address, and will send email with instructions. Pat C and Karen will work with Rich Halvey to get a notice into the Federal Register.

PUBLIC ADVISORY BOARD:

Will meet on June 21 in Salt Lake City. Colleen will be available to make a presentation for them. Pat will send them a letter and enclose the flyer as well.

GUIDANCE FOR MEETING PARTICIPANTS:

Jan has drafted guidance and will distribute later today, along with a table showing meeting information including participants from various WRAP committees. Please send comments to Jan, and then she will begin drafting scripts for participants.

WRAP 201:

Jeff Lemke will have another draft by Friday. Dan will review and then it will go into PowerPoint.

AUGUST PUBLIC MEETINGS:

We need to start now on getting dates. Bill Grantham is not yet sure whether a separate tribal meeting will be needed. At the Tempe WRAP meeting, Wyoming, Idaho, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Oregon and Washington said they want meetings in August but others may add themselves later.

CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING:

Ruth reported that June 19 appears to be the best date. This is not a good date for anyone, but after extensive discussion of alternatives, it appears to be best. Ruth has mailing labels and can send a letter. It is possible there will be a morning session for the House and afternoon session for the Senate, and attendance is improved if there are light refreshments, which can be paid for by WGA (using non-EPA funds) and Western Regional Council. Colleen Delaney can attend as MTF co-chair and representing states, Duane Yantoro is interested in going as an MTF industry representative, Pat Cummins can attend. Colleen will try to find an environmental representative, and Colleen and Jan will see if Dianne Nielson can attend. Bill Grantham will see if Gov. Tortalita or another tribal representative can go. It is important that the congressional audience understand the range of stakeholders involved. It will be impossible to get advance commitment from congressional members or staffs, but follow-up calls from environmental directors or PAB members to representatives from their states would be helpful after the invitations go out.

ODDS AND ENDS:

Jan will revise the outreach plan to reflect the changes in the schedule adopted by the WRAP.