New York State Comparative Risk Project Charge To Work Groups
All work groups will complete their work in a manner consistent with the purpose and scope of the Project which were adopted by the Steering Committee on August 30, 1996, as follows:
1. The purpose of this Project is to evaluate, characterize, and compare the risks associated with releases to the environment of substances that have the potential to harm human health or the environment in New York State, taking into account both scientific data and public values; and to recommend a strategy for reducing those risks through the multimedia pollution prevention (M2P2) program of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). This strategy will be based on the priorities identified by a characterization and comparison of risks and will consider public values and, for each risk reduction method identified, its expected cost-effectiveness, practicality, and equity. The Project will be evaluated as a potential model for other priority setting and strategic planning efforts carried out by the NYSDEC.
2. The scope of this Project will be limited to risks caused by releases to the environment of substances that have the potential to harm human health or the environment, and will focus on pollution prevention as the primary method of reducing the risks caused by these releases.
3. The Project will only evaluate residual risks as they exist at this time. Residual risk is the risk that remains given current levels of environmental regulation and control. Past practices or projections of future conditions will not be considered.
Roles of Steering Committee and work groups
1. The Steering Committee will be the primary decision-making body for this Project. It will have the responsibility to make final decisions regarding the selection, characterization, and comparison of issues, the identification of priorities, the selection of risk reduction strategies, and any other issues that come before it. The Steering Committee will report to the Commissioner of the NYSDEC.
2. There will be five work groups convened for this Project: Human Health, Ecosystems, Quality of Life, Public Participation, and Risk Reduction Strategies. The Steering Committee is responsible for selecting the work group participants and establishing the methodologies and ground rules under which the work groups will operate.
3. The work groups will be established for the purpose of completing background research and data evaluation for use by the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee may make specific requests for information from the work groups. All work groups report to the Steering Committee. Work group chairs will be selected by the Steering Committee, and will be invited to participate in Steering Committee meetings.
Scope of work
A. Identification of environmental problems
The Steering Committee, after obtaining recommendations from the work groups, will approve a list of problem areas to be evaluated in this Project. The work groups may not add problems to the list unless approved by the Steering Committee.
B. Evaluation of environmental problems
1. The work groups must attempt to evaluate every problem on the list. If a problem cannot be evaluated, the reasons must be explained in their report to the Steering Committee. The work group may identify data and information gaps that preclude a full evaluation and characterization of the risks associated with a given problem.
2. Each work group will determine the criteria that it will use to evaluate the problem areas. The Steering Committee will be provided an opportunity for review and may suggest revisions to the criteria.
C. Reports
1. The Human Health, Ecosystems, and Quality of Life Work Groups will each evaluate, characterize, and compare risks and relevant effects for their respective areas and will issue a report to the Steering Committee that includes a description of their methods, findings, and supporting documentation. The reports will characterize each problem area and will compare each problem relative to the other problems. These comparisons will be completed for each criterion selected for evaluation by the work group. The primary product of the work group will be a thorough, clear, and accessible presentation of the information gathered by the work group, in a manner that illuminates the major characteristics of each problem area and highlights the substantive differences in the risk posed by each. The work group will also perform an overall comparison of the degree of risk posed by each problem area. The Public Participation Work Group will issue a report to the Steering Committee that includes the results of their investigation into public values and public comment regarding this Project. The Steering Committee will use the four reports noted above to produce an integrated risk characterization and comparison.
2. All work group reports will include summary charts, in a format selected by the Steering Committee, which graphically display the major decisions of the work group.
3. The Risk Reduction Strategies Work Group will issue a report to the Steering Committee that details all sources of stressors and pollution prevention-based risk reduction methods considered, including the results of research and supporting documentation for each, and recommendations to the Steering Committee on the implementation of such measures. This report will include a summary of how the pollution prevention methods are characterized for each of the criteria selected by the work group.
Work group descriptions
A. Human Health Work Group
The Human Health Work Group will evaluate for each problem area all known health risks, including both cancer and non-cancer effects. The socio-economic and hardship impacts of health effects will be evaluated by the Quality of Life Work Group.
B. Ecosystems Work Group
The Ecosystems Work Group will evaluate risks to the ecosystems that exist throughout New York State. The health and preservation of the plants, animals, and aquatic and terrestrial landscapes that make up the ecosystem, as well as ecosystem processes, will be considered. Use of the ecosystem by humans and risk to human health that results from ecosystem damage will not be part of the analysis.
C. Quality of Life Work Group
The Quality of Life Work Group will evaluate risks or damages resulting from the problem areas that are not considered by the Human Health or Ecosystems Work Groups. The Quality of Life Work Group will strive to incorporate the values of New York State residents into its analysis through cooperative efforts with the Public Participation Work Group.
D. Public Participation Work Group
The Public Participation Work Group will provide advice and identify appropriate strategies to disseminate information and solicit input from the public. They will work with the Steering Committee and other work groups to develop processes and to select and carry out activities to facilitate a dialogue between the public and the Project participants.
E. Risk Reduction Strategies Work Group
The Risk Reduction Strategies Work Group will evaluate the sources associated with the stressors that are characterized by the other work groups, and will develop a comprehensive list of pollution prevention policies, programs, and strategies that can be taken to reduce the risks identified by the other work groups and the Steering Committee. These strategies may include a variety of specific measures for reducing risk at the generator, local, or State level. Each proposed strategy will be evaluated by a set of criteria developed by the work group.
Ground rules for work groups
A. Process
1. When making decisions, work group members will strive for the most broad, inclusive, and informed consensus possible. When consensus is not reached, decisions will be based on majority vote. A vote will be taken only when a majority of the members in attendance agree that active, open, and constructive participation by all members has occurred and that consensus is not possible.
2. At least 2/3 of the members of the work group must be present for a vote to take place. Voting will be completed by a show of hands, or, in the case of a very close vote, a roll call. Members are encouraged to carefully consider all viewpoints before deciding how they will vote.
3. All written reports concerning this Project will include a discussion that expresses both the majority and minority viewpoints whenever disagreement still exists.
4. The work group chair will be present at each meeting to enforce the ground rules, ensure that the agenda is followed, and make certain that work is accomplished in the most efficient and effective manner possible. If the chair must miss a meeting, he/she will appoint a substitute to take his/her place.
5. Minutes will be taken at all work group meetings and will be provided to the Steering Committee and other work groups upon request.
6. Work group members will strive to keep all discussions on track and will come to each meeting prepared to participate in the discussions that have been planned for the day. Only one person will speak at a time and all participants will have an equitable and fair opportunity to speak. The chair will recognize participants in order.
7. The work groups may form subcommittees as needed to accomplish business in the most effective manner. All subcommittees will report back to the work group.
8. All work group members are expected to be active participants in the work group's data analysis and deliberations and are expected to carry out a reasonable share of the overall work effort. The consensus to be sought and any written work produced will only be a product of the work group members.
9. Work group members will cooperatively share data and information with members of other work groups to facilitate communication and ensure consistency in their evaluations.
B. Attendance
1. Work group members must make a good faith effort to attend all work group meetings. If a member must miss a meeting, he/she may designate a substitute to represent his/her position. This substitute must be well informed on the issues to be discussed and may vote on issues on the member's behalf. Members that must miss a meeting may submit written comments on the topic that will be discussed at that meeting for consideration by the work group. However, these written comments will not be used as a vote on any issue.
2. A work group member that does not attend (either in person, via conference call, or by sending a substitute) three consecutive work group meetings will be asked to resign.
3. All meetings of the work groups will be open to observers. However, only work group members or their substitutes may participate at meetings or vote on issues. Observers must identify themselves to the work group chair and may request and be invited to speak from time to time upon approval of the work group. Written comments from observers may be submitted at any time.
4. Representatives from the USEPA, the Green Mountain Institute for Environmental Democracy (GMIED), and staff from the NYSDEC that are not members of a work group will be considered advisors and are invited to participate in all meetings. However, advisors will not be allocated a vote on any decision.
5. The work groups will meet as often as necessary to accomplish the work group's objectives. Additional meetings will be arranged between work group chairs or members of different work groups as needed to facilitate communication and reduce duplicate efforts between the groups.
C. Public statements and documents
1. The public will be given opportunity to comment on all work group reports before they become final. Public comment will be both solicited and welcome throughout the duration of the Project.
2. All final meeting minutes, work group reports, and other documentation prepared in conjunction with this Project will be made available to the public upon request.
3. Work group members may speak to the public or the press regarding this Project, however, it must be clear that they are stating only their own views and not those of any other work group member or the NYSDEC or work group as a whole. Work group members may discuss the outcome of decisions that have been made, however, they will not speculate publicly about decisions that the work group has yet to make.
4. Work group members should notify their work group chair of any significant communication with the public or press.
Adopted by the Steering Committee on January 31, 1997
Revised by the Steering Committee on September 12, 1997
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