Risk Communication and Public Involvement Training

June 2, 2006 – Portland

Presented by Alvin Chun

EPA, National Center for Risk Communication and Public Involvement

This full-day workshop provided insights and strategies for establishing trusting working relationships with communities and other interest groups around issues of environmental health. EPHT sponsored Captain Chun’s presentation and issued an open invitation to partners and stakeholders to attend at no cost. Participants included people from state and local agencies, businesses, and academia.

Captain Chun led the group, in an interactive and dynamic way, through issues of perception, communication and relationships. He explained that a poor relationship is usually where problems start. Often times community concerns and perceptions quickly escalate into anger and perceptions of high risks. This creates delays, more work and increases fear. Successful relationships are the foundation for effective risk communication and productive problem solving. This workshop provided a few case studies illustrating the difficulties one might expect and successes that can be achieved. A variety of common problems and misperceptions that can cause alarm were investigated. Solutions were developed that make communication clearer and easier.