Past Meetings and Presentations Exit

Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) are a community initiative and responsibility. CAGs are intended to provide a forum through which a broad and diverse sample of community needs and interests are represented.

A CAG has been established for the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site to involve, inform and receive input from a diverse group that represents a variety of interests throughout the Hudson Valley regarding the cleanup of PCBs from the Hudson River.

The CAG for the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site is designed to:

• Promote broad, balanced representation of communities and stakeholders along the entire site
• Encourage more routine and consistent communications and coordination between EPA and the community;
• Solicit ongoing recommendations about ways to enhance community involvement
• Provide an avenue for the community to voice its needs and concerns
• Provide for a consistent source of feedback for EPA to gauge interests and needs

The Hudson River CAG represents interests that were identified in EPA’s April 2003 Draft Community Involvement Plan for the site. CAG members Exit were selected by nominating organizations independently of EPA. The Hudson River PCBs Site CAG held its first official meeting in January 2004. CAG members and interest groups have evolved over time based on project status and progress as well as stakeholder availability, focus or interest.

EPA provides organizational and informational support to the CAG, and provides financial support through the hiring of an independent, neutral facilitator. CAG members determine the schedule and meeting locations that best suit their needs and interests. All general meetings of the CAG are open to the public and CAG meeting notices are publicized in advance. Every member of the community has the opportunity to become involved and express an opinion about the project and its elements at any time and does not have to rely on the CAG to convey that message.