Sometimes, a public outreach process can become explosive – or at least, involve them. Oregon’s Camp Withycombe has been host to military training activities for many years, and has the spent ordnance to prove it. The site, part of the Army’s Military Munitions Response Program, is undergoing a remediation process to locate and identify these potentially dangerous remnants. Once that process is complete, the MMRP will determine how best to remove any ordnance and ensure the site is safe for everyone.
While we like to think we can defuse dangerous situations, EnviroIssues is leaving the weapons duties to the experts. We joined the team to develop and implement a robust community relations plan, educating and engaging neighbors and stakeholders in the process. EnviroIssues developed and maintained a project website, handled all of the logistics for a series of public meetings, coordinated outreach activities to community groups, built a database for tracking and analysis of public comments and did some old-fashioned face-to-face outreach with residents who had to relocate temporarily while the experts worked in particular areas.
The result? A potentially explosive situation, successfully defused.
