EPA Holds Public Hearing at CoB Chambers, Refuses To Allow BTV10 Broadcast

From The Herald website

The problem is... and what the Herald story doesn't mention... is that the EPA has decided not to allow the City of Bellingham to record the hearing and broadcast it on BTV10.

Update: 3/30/2010 from Mayor Dan Pike:

Apparently this is the standard practice at EPA, to the extent that they have in the past cancelled meetings when they found they were going to be televised. Nonetheless, I'd encourage folks to contact the EPA using the contact info provided by ApexNerd and ask them to reconsider their position.

I am also working on getting permission to film and rebroadcast, as I believe the community ought to have access to this information. I'd also encourage folks to attend the hearing in person; it may help sway EPA to a better cleanup alternative than they are currently favoring.

Thanks for helping get the word out.
 Mayor Dan Pike
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Latte Republic received an email to this effect from Wendy Steffensen, Lead Scientist of the North Sound Baykeeper Team.

To: All Bellingham Neighbors concerned with Cleanup at Little Squalicum Park
From: North Sound Baykeeper Team at RE Sources

ASK EPA TO ALLOW THE CITY TO TELEVISE THE PUBLIC MEETING ON LITTLE SQUALICUM CLEANUP


EPA released the decision making document for cleanup of Little Squalicum Park, aka the Engineering Evaluation/ Cost Analysis or EE/CA on March 18. Comments on the EE/CA are due April 19.

A public meeting where EPA explains the alternatives and takes public comment will be held on March 31st, next Wednesday, from 6:30-8:30 at Bellingham City Council Chambers.

City of Bellingham staff and the North Sound Baykeeper Team have requested that this meeting be televised, per the usual custom of public meetings in Bellingham and Whatcom County. EPA has, thus far, refused!

It is important that these meetings be televised because:
1) EPA will discuss the potential alternatives for the cleanup and the public should have ready access to this information, rather than having to wade through a 373 page document.
2) As various members of the public comment, viewers of the meeting will be able to hear diverse viewpoints
3) Residents of the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County are accustomed to learning about civic matters by watching BTV 10; they will not expect that they need to attend the hearing in order to get the information
4) It is a hardship for some members of the public to get to the meeting and they rely on BTV 10 to get information.

Please e-mail or call:
Ms. Cami Grandinetti, EPA Site Cleanup Manager; Unit 4 to voice your concern and request a televised meeting.

Grandinetti.Cami@epa.gov
1 206 553-8696

THANK YOU!

Copy and Paste the e-mail addresses below if you want to tell someone in a position to do something about this that you have a problem with EPA's decision...

Don't go all Tea Party when writing the e-mail... just politely request that the EPA reconsider the decision to refuse to allow the City of Bellingham to record a public event in its own camera ready City Chamber...



Grandinetti.Cami@epa.gov

orlean.howard@epa.gov

epa-seattle@epa.gov

Rick.Larsen@mail.house.gov

maria_cantwell@cantwell.senate.gov