1

Community Interviews

Community InterviewsDescription

Community Interviews are conducted to gatherinformation for a Community Involvement Plan(CIP) or for a Technical Assistance NeedsAssessment (TANA). These interviews are a wayto meet with community members and learn abouttheir site-related needs, concerns, and expectations,as well as how the community gets information andprefers to receive site-related information fromEPA. Community interviews also can provide avaluable opportunity for the Site Team to explorecommunity concerns in depth and build positiverelationships with members of the community.

NCP Provisions

The NCP addresses community interviews as partof the process of preparing a Community Involve-ment Plan. Community interviews generally shouldbe conducted whenever a CIP is prepared orrevised.

As stated in the NCP at 40 CFR § 300.430(c)(2)(ii)(A): to “Ensure the public appropriateopportunities for involvement in a wide variety ofsite-related decisions, including site analysis andcharacterization, alternatives analysis, and selectionof remedy; and [B] Determine, based on commu-nity interviews, appropriate activities to ensure suchpublic involvement…”

Consistent with the NCP [40 CFR §300.430(c)(2)(i); 300.415(n)(3)(i); and300.415(n)(4)(i)], the Agency conducts “communityinterviews with local officials, community residents,public interest groups, or other interested or af-fected parties, as appropriate, to solicit their con-cerns and information needs, and to learn how andwhen citizens would like to be involved in theSuperfund process.” The CIP should be in placebefore remedial investigation field activities start,“to the extent practicable” (40 CFR §300.430(c)(2)).

As discussed in the NCP, EPA typically reviews theCIP prior to initiating the remedial design “to

‘

determine whether it should be revised to describefurther public involvement activities during Reme-dial Design/Remedial Action (RD/RA) that are notalready addressed or provided for” in the CIP (40CFR §300.435 (c)(1)).

For removal actions lasting 120 days or more, theNCP specifies that the lead agency must conductinterviews and prepare a CIP “by the end of the120-day period” (40 CFR § 300.415(n)(3)(i)and(ii)). For removal actions with a planning periodof at least six months, the NCP requires the leadagency to conduct community interviews andprepare a CIP prior to completion of the Engineer-ing Evaluation and Cost Analysis (EE/CA) (40 CFR§ 300.415(n)(4)(i)). Formal community interviewsgenerally are not required for removal actions thatdo not require CIPs; i.e., those that will last lessthan 120 days or require less than six months toplan.

In addition, EPA’s Comprehensive Five-YearReview Guidance recommends that “you may alsowish to interview several community members…toget their views about current site conditions,problems or related concerns” during the five-yearreview process. This is in addition to notifying thecommunity that the five-year review will be con-ducted or has been completed and providing theresults of the review to the local site repository.

Community interviews are equally important atpotentially responsible party (PRP)-funded sites,federal facilities, and sites using the SuperfundAlternative Approach (SAA).

Making It Work

Why

Community interviews often are the single mostimportant element of preparing a CIP. Conductingcommunity interviews is a particularly effectiveway to gather information about community needs,questions, and concerns, as well as expectationsand unique needs or cultural behaviors, customs,

2

Community Interviews

and values. Often issues emerge during the inter-views that some citizens would hesitate to shareduring a public meeting or an availability session. Inaddition, the interviews normally provide for moredepth and follow-up questions than usually is possiblethrough those other means. The information andinsights gained through community interviews helpenable EPA to develop a highly responsive CIP,assess the potential need for technical assistance(See Technical Assistance for Communities tool),and determine whether a TANA should be conducted.Community interviews also provide an opportunityfor the Site Team to encourage the community’sparticipation.

When

For remedial actions, community interviews usuallytake place when the release and affected areas(a.k.a., “the site”) is formally listed on the NationalPriorities List (NPL), but it can be useful to conductinterviews sooner. Community interviews canprovide information, such as patterns and practicesof chemical usage at the facility, illegal disposalpractices, and unique exposure pathways that theSite Team can use when developing the RI/FSwork plan.

If the Site Team thinks that site issues are such thatthe community may need more EPA attention,consider conducting the interviews and othercommunity involvement activities even before thesite is listed on the NPL. This should help give EPAearly insight into community needs, concerns, andexpectations, and can help EPA make betterdecisions and take actions that protect those commu-nities that are near potential hazardous waste sites.While there is no specific statutory or regulatoryrequirement for community involvement activitiesbefore a site is listed on the NPL, early communityinvolvement usually is an important component ofestablishing a mutually beneficial and respectfulrelationship between EPA and the community.

For removal actions, community interviews shouldbe conducted as soon as it becomes clear that theremoval action will last more than 120 days or thatremoval planning will take longer than six months.In both cases, the interviews typically are done tocomplete the CIP.

Community interviews also are often an importantpart of the TANA process. Community interviews

contain a few preliminary questions that maysuggest a potential need for additional technicalassistance in the community. (See Attachment 3:Community Interviews—Recommended Ques-tions for Assessing Community TechnicalAssistance Needs.) If the preliminary questions inthe community interviews suggest the need toconduct a TANA, you may wish to conduct theTANA interviews concurrently with a smallernumber of individuals who can help define thecommunity’s specific technical assistance needs.If this is not possible, the TANA may be con-ducted at a later time.

It is recommended that a new round of communityinterviews be conducted whenever the CIP isrevised, and in conjunction with the five-yearreview process.

How

The Community Involvement Coordinator (CIC)should start by meeting with the Remedial ProjectManager (RPM) or On-Scene Coordinator (OSC).He or she can tell you about site issues, helpidentify potential interviewees, and provide informa-tion about the community surrounding the site.Other members of the Site Team—the risk asses-sor; the enforcement case team; EPA contractor;state, tribal, or local agency staff; or others—maywant you to find specific information during theinterviews, such as little-known practices that couldhave contributed to site conditions or practices thatcould be relevant when identifying potential expo-sure scenarios.

Community interviews often are among the firstopportunities for EPA to engage one-on-one withcommunity members. The site’s RPM or OSCshould play a role. When RPMs and OSCs attendcommunity interviews, they can better understandthe community, learn things about the communitythat cannot be learned from written records,discover issues and uncover misunderstandings thatcan then be corrected, and explore issues withcommunity members by following up aninterviewee’s answers with more detailed ques-tions. Often community stakeholders have impor-tant information to provide in characterizing the site,developing cleanup solutions, and understanding thecommunity’s thoughts regarding the reasonablyanticipated future land use at the site. In addition,one-on-one discussions can help build community

3

Community Interviews

trust and confidence, and allow community mem-bers to see the members of the Site Team aspeople, not federal bureaucrats. Some RPMs andOSCs conclude each interview with a short siteupdate providing information about the site andEPA’s work. This interaction also is an opportunityto personally inform community members abouttheir opportunities to be involved throughout the siteinvestigation and cleanup process.

CICs often are supported by EPA contractors whoassist with some portions of the community inter-views. Use your contractor support wisely. Thecontractor generally conducts the logistics, includingscheduling the interviews with community mem-bers, preparing directions for the interview team,taking notes or recording the actual interviews, andwriting up notes summarizing each individualinterview.

We encourage you to follow these recommendedsteps to plan for, conduct, and glean useful informa-tion and insights from community interviews:

Define the community and the geographicalarea of concern.

Before conducting community interviews, it ishelpful to gather and analyze demographic informa-tion in order to prepare a draft Community Profile.This should help you understand the characteristicsof the community of concern and identify potentialcultural, socioeconomic, and non-English-speakingsubgroups within the population. The researchconducted for the community profile also can helpidentify potential issues, sensitivities, and specialconsiderations to keep in mind when scheduling andconducting community interviews. The communityprofile is a working document that evolves through-out the interview process and should be finalizedonly after completing the community interviews.

We recommend you define “the community” bydetermining the boundaries of the area in whichresidents may feel that they are affected by thesite. This may include residents who live or workwithin a certain distance of the site, but it also couldinclude others. Consider whether there are groups ofpeople who live further from the site who may havean interest in, or be affected by, the site and itscleanup (for example, parents of children in adaycare center near the site, but who live beyond theboundaries of the geographical “area of concern”).

Define objectives for interviews: What do youwant to learn from the interviews?

Together with the RPM or OSC and other membersof the Site Team, you should define the objectivesfor your community interviews—what informationare you seeking about the community? (UseAttachment 1: Determining Interview Objectivesand Drafting Questions.)

Generally, community interviews are conducted tolearn about community needs, concerns, andexpectations. Key issues to learn about include site-related perceptions, beliefs, and experiences ofcommunity members; how community memberswould like to receive site-related information fromEPA (i.e., via email, a website, a newsletter, etc.)and be included in the decision-making process; andwhether there are perceived barriers to effectiveparticipation, such as past experiences of mistrustor any unique concerns. Interview objectives alsoshould include gaining a better understanding ofhow people share information in the community,who they trust, and how they work together. Askquestions that will help you better understand whoparticipates in community life and the most importantformal and informal meeting places in the communitywhere people tend to gather or have informalexchanges (at a church, a weekly farmers’ market,or local coffee shop, for example). With this informa-tion, you can better target community outreach andinformation dissemination and education.

We recommend you include questions that will helpidentify the key leaders (not just governmentofficials) and groups that are active in the commu-nity. This information can enable you to workthrough existing social networks. Generally, it isuseful to identify in advance the people you shouldinterview, and to include a question asking eachinterviewee to help identify other groups or individu-als whom you may have missed.

Community interviews should include questions thatallow you to assess whether additional technicalassistance may be appropriate. (See Attachment 3:Community Interviews—Recommended Questionsfor Assessing Community Technical AssistanceNeeds.) If you think additional technical assistancemay be appropriate, the TANA should be conductedconcurrently whenever possible. This should allowEPA to explore the types of technical assistanceresources that might be consistent with the

4

Community Interviews

community’s needs, evaluate the most appropriatevehicles for providing technical assistance, andidentify existing groups in the community that maybe able to manage a Technical Assistance Grant(TAG) or a Technical Assistance Plan (TAP),coordinate Technical Assistance Services forCommunities (TASC), or work with universities ornon-profit organizations that may provide thisassistance voluntarily.

Attachment 3 provides a recommended two-partprocess for assessing technical assistance optionsduring community interviews. Part 1 of Attachment3 provides recommended questions and providesguidance for determining whether Part 2 of theprocess, the formal TANA, may be appropriate. (Ifso, please consult the Technical Assistance NeedsAssessment tool for the TANA questionnaire andfor further information about completing the TANAprocess. Note that the questions included in theformal TANA will be asked of some, but not allpeople with whom community interviews areconducted.)

If the community’s technical assistance needscannot be adequately articulated or defined at thetime that community interviews are conducted, theTANA can be conducted at a later date.

In general, objectives for community interviewsinclude the following:

Identify community members to be interviewed. Define the issues, questions, and concerns most

important to community members. Explore community perceptions or opinions on

specific issues or site concerns that the SiteTeam wants to better understand.

Identify the past uses, practices, or other historyabout the site that could help inform any of thevarious aspects of the cleanup, such as the siteinvestigation and risk assessment.

Identify potential environmental justice issues, suchas unique exposure scenarios, the potential forunequal access to the decision-making process, or aperceived or real disproportionate burden ofexposure or environmental health effects alongthe lines of race, national origin, or income.

Identify additional stakeholders in the communityto include, such as individuals and groups thatmay be marginalized, under-represented, or notrepresented at all due to social, economic, orcultural factors.

Identify the most important communicationsoutlets (newspapers, websites, blogs, newslet-ters, etc.) that are most frequently used bycommunity members.

Learn about additional official or unofficialcommunity leaders and organizations thatpeople already know and trust and who shouldbe involved in community involvement efforts atthe site.

Determine the ways community members wouldlike to receive news or information about siteissues.

Identify the places in the community, regularevents, or situations in which community mem-bers often gather.

Explore whether there may be unmet needs fortechnical assistance and whether a formalTANA should be conducted concurrently withthe community interviews or at a later time

OSWER Directive #9230.0-20, Innovative Meth-ods to Increase Public Involvement in SuperfundCommunity Relations (November 1990), recom-mends conducting interviews with at least 15-25persons for a CIP, depending on the complexity ofthe site and the level of citizen interest. The Direc-tive states that, “Increasing the number of inter-views with citizens is one of the most effectivemethods to enhance citizen participation.”

The actual number of interviews normally dependson many factors, including the size, complexity, andthe stage of the cleanup process; the number anddiversity of affected residents and communitygroups; the level of community interest; and thepotential contentiousness of issues regarding thesite. Fewer interviews may be sufficient in a verysmall community, where the level of interest is low,or where few residents will be affected by the site.On the other hand, if the Site Team believes thatthe site is likely to require more extensive commu-nity involvement, we recommend you plan tosignificantly expand interviewing efforts. In somecases, EPA has conducted dozens or even hundredsof interviews to reflect both the complexity and thelevel of citizen interest at a site. Although this mayrequire substantial labor and resources at the onsetof the community involvement process, it helpsensure that EPA identifies and focuses attention onthe issues that are most important to the communityand ensure protectiveness of human health.

5

Community Interviews

We recommend you begin identifying the variousstakeholder groups in the community, then thespecific organizations and individuals who should berepresented in your interviews. (Use Attachment 2:Recommended Guide to Identifying People toInterview, as a worksheet to help identify stake-holders, community groups, and individuals forcommunity interviews, and to help you think aboutthe questions you should ask them.)

Conversations should not be limited to the mostvisible or vocal groups of individuals. In addition,special efforts should be made to interview resi-dents who are not affiliated with any group, and toinclude all stakeholders in the community. Werecommend interviewing a broad range of people inorder to gain the greatest variety of perspectivesabout the site, including PRPs, if appropriate.

Conducting community interviews should be aninteractive and dynamic process. The list of people tointerview and guiding questions typically continue toevolve as interviews are conducted. To start, werecommend using information and insights gleanedfrom initial interviews with local officials and keycitizens and perhaps an availability session or publicforum to help identify potential site issues. Werecommend you ask everyone you interview if otherrelevant stakeholders should have been identified,particularly those that may have been overlooked orare under-represented at public meetings or othersite events and may not participate in the most activecommunity organizations. This information can thenbe used to help identify others who may not havebeen identified initially for interviews. This processmay mean building time into the schedule for anadditional round of community interviews.

For enforcement actions, the CIC should work withtechnical and legal staff to become informed of anyenforcement action information that should not bediscussed during community interviews (e.g., wherethere is sensitivity to pending litigation).

Determine how interviews will be conducted.

We recommend you plan in advance how inter-views will be conducted, including who will ask thequestions, how notes will be taken, and who shouldbe present for the interviews. Community inter-views generally should be conducted by EPA staff,preferably by the CIC, accompanied by the RPMor OSC. We recommend that you keep the group of

EPA interviewers small so as not to be intimidating,especially when conducting individual interviews inpeople’s homes.

Community interviews generally work best whenconducted with an individual or with members ofthe immediate household. If others come, ask if youcan schedule a time just for them. EPA’s experi-ence is that people talk more freely and completelywhen they are alone. Groups tend to self-censor orconform to previous answers. Interviews withgroups of people can be dominated by one or morevocal participants, and some participants may deferto others who they believe to be more powerful orknowledgeable. You may wish to conduct one ormore group interviews or focus groups in conjunc-tion with individual interviews, but these are not asubstitute for individual interviews.

While it may be appropriate to conduct someinterviews by telephone depending on site-specificcircumstances (e.g., remote location of some of theinterviewees), telephone interviews normally arenot as effective as interviews conducted face-to-face. Telephone interviews can be less personaland normally do not provide the same opportunityfor getting to know and forming relationships withmembers of the community.

Contact interviewees and schedule interviews.

We recommend you let the community know EPAwill be conducting interviews before you startcalling individuals to schedule the interviews. Itnormally is helpful to issue a press release orinclude an announcement in the site fact sheet thatis distributed to the community. This way, it is morelikely community members already will knowinterviews are being conducted when you or yourcontractor start requesting interviews.

Depending on how many people will be inter-viewed, we recommend you plan on at leastseveral days to complete the interviews. You shouldschedule interviews at times that are convenient forinterviewees. This may mean scheduling interviewsduring early evening hours. You should indicate thatyou would like to conduct the interview at theperson’s convenience and at a place of theirchoosing. In addition, you should offer to come totheir home or wherever the interviewee feels mostcomfortable.

6

Community Interviews

We recommend you determine the dates that youexpect to be on-site, and call each person you planto interview about two to three weeks in advance toarrange an appointment. Generally it is helpful toexplain the purpose of the interviews and what theycan expect (e.g., how long the interview shouldtake, how many people may be in the EPA delega-tion, and that someone normally takes notes). Also,you should assure confidentiality and explain thatthe interviews are designed to help develop a CIP.If there is reason to believe an interpreter may beneeded, you should ask the person being inter-viewed if he/she would like to have an interpreterpresent during the interview. We recommend youprovide a telephone number and email address theinterviewee can use to contact you if their planschange. If you have contractor support, the con-tractor can make these calls and maintain theschedule. We recommend you confirm appoint-ments a day or two in advance.

Normally, you should allow about an hour for eachinterview, plus travel time. If you plan to conduct aTANA at the same time, plan to schedule additionaltime for the interview. If possible, we recommendyou leave some open time in the schedule foradditional interviews with people identified byothers during the interview process, but who werenot on the initial list of interviewees.

Prepare an interview protocol and prepare forinterviews.

An interview protocol can help guide the entireinterview, but normally should not be read verbatim.We recommend you outline a set of guiding inter-view questions that includes prompts or bulletedreminders to help you remember to cover all keypoints. We recommend you start off by introducingyourself and others present and explaining thepurpose of the interview. In addition, you shouldinclude a prompt in the protocol with other introduc-tory information and reminders at the end of theinterview to tell each interviewee how informationfrom the interview likely will be used and where tofind more information about the site.

We recommend you draft a list of guiding questionsthat address the specific interview objectivesoutlined earlier. You should avoid questions thatelicit multiple-choice, yes/no, or short answers.Generally, it is helpful to include a few such ques-tions in the interview protocol, but whenever

possible, it can be more effective to ask open-endedquestions that invite the interviewee to talk orexplain a response. Asking positive, thoughtful, andwell-crafted questions can stimulate constructiveconversations that travel beyond the interview. Theusefulness of the information we gather during thecommunity interviews and how it can shape theCIP and future actions taken at a site often dependson the quality of the interview questions. Werecommend you strive to ask questions that surfaceunderlying assumptions, stimulate reflective conver-sation, and evoke more questions. Using “why,”“how,” and “what” in your questions often encour-ages reflective thinking and can promote an en-gaged conversation. We recommend you try to askcompelling questions that lead to thinking aboutpossibilities.

You may wish to group your questions by topic, atleast at first. (Use column 2 of Attachment 1:Determining Interview Objectives and DraftingQuestions, as a worksheet for drafting questions toaddress the interview objectives that were definedin column 1.) The order of the questions can berearranged depending on how a conversation mightflow.You may wish to include the questions outlinedin Attachment 3: Community Interviews—Recom-mended Questions for Assessing CommunityTechnical Assistance Needs as part of yourprotocol.

Typically there are appropriate variations in thequestions. Generally, the goal is to engage theinterviewee in a conversation (not to conduct asurvey). Some questions may not be relevant for allinterviewees, particularly elected officials andgovernment staff. (We recommend you considerusing column 3 of Attachment 1: DeterminingInterview Objectives and Drafting Questions asa tool to identify which questions may be appropri-ate to ask of interviewees.) During the interview,we recommend you use the guiding questions in theinterview protocol as a way to engage the inter-viewee, listen closely to responses, and then pursuelines of questioning that flow from earlier re-sponses.

It may be a good idea to ask a group of questionsabout the community first—questions that ask theinterviewee to talk about familiar things—such ashow long he or she has been a resident in thecommunity. This should allow time for the inter-

7

Community Interviews

viewee to feel comfortable and for a rapport todevelop. Usually, it is more effective to ask sensi-tive or controversial questions about the site, site-related issues, and perceptions of EPA, the PRP, orother more sensitive subjects in the middle of theinterview. Consider ending the interview withpositive, future-oriented questions: In xx years, howdo you envision the site? How can EPA maintain anopen, transparent relationship with the community?

It is a good idea to test the interview protocol. Evenseasoned CICs can learn by practicing the inter-view with colleagues. Doing so should help youidentify unclear questions, rearrange the order ofquestions, and practice active listening skills.

Conduct interviews.

Be on time, be courteous, and dress profession-ally. You should arrive on time for the interview.Normally, it is good practice to introduce yourselfand everyone who has accompanied you; tell theinterviewee why you are in the community; esti-mate about how long you expect the interview totake; and thank the interviewee for taking the timeto participate. We recommend you reassure theinterviewees that they need not be knowledgeableabout the site or site issues and that there are nowrong answers. You should reiterate EPA’s interestin hearing his or her views and the Agency’scommitment to involving the community in thedecisions that affect them. We also recommend youexplain how you plan to use the information fromthis and other interviews. Strive to be respectful ofcommunity standards in your dress. Extremes indressing (e.g., expensive suits or overly informalclothing) generally are not recommended.

Assure confidentiality. Many residents fearretribution for talking with EPA. Reassureinterviewees that their privacy will be protected.Explain that the information they provide will becaptured by a notetaker and may be included in asummary in the CIP, but the information will not beattributed to any individual, nor will their name oridentity be made public. (However, local officials orPRP representatives who are interviewed in theirofficial capacity may be identified in the list ofcontacts.)

It is not recommended that you record the inter-view, but if you do wish to record the interview, ask

for permission first. Some people may find an audiorecording device intimidating and they may be lesscandid or more nervous about speaking frankly. Ifyou use a recording device, assure the intervieweethat the recording will be used to ensure accuracyof your notes, but for no other reason.

Actively listen. All cell phones and Blackberriesshould be turned off. Complement the attitude ofyour interviewee. Maintain eye contact, if appropri-ate to the cultural norm of the interviewee, and tryto maintain open and friendly body language, nomatter what is said or occurs during the interview.Other members of the team who have accompa-nied you also should be mindful of appearingattentive and engaged in the interview, even if theyare saying very little. Sitting back, slumping, texting,or folding arms across your chest all can conveylack of interest or a closed mind. Restating theanswer helps to ensure that you heard it correctlyand demonstrates to the interviewee that he or shehas been truly heard and understood.

Listening intently allows for follow up with clarify-ing questions and for further discussion of issues ortopics of interest. Be flexible; interviews are fluidand often change direction. Know what informationis needed, but be prepared to respond to otherissues or concerns that may arise during theinterview. Be willing to move around the interviewquestions based upon responses.

Remain impartial and never become defensive.Remember that you are there to listen—not tojustify, defend, or explain the Agency’s actions orpositions. The goal is to gather information aboutthe community. Resist the temptation to justify orexplain the Agency’s actions or positions, or tocorrect misconceptions. Correcting can appeardefensive and can negatively impact the interview.You will get a much more accurate picture of whatthe community thinks if you refrain from defendingEPA or responding to criticism during the inter-views. Corrections, if needed, can be made duringthe site update briefing (see below) that is recom-mended after the interview has been completed.

Consider ending interviews by having the site’sRPM or OSC give a short site update briefing tothe interviewee. This allows the RPM to fill in gapsin historical knowledge; bring interviewees up-to-date on site issues, activities, and plans; answer

8

Community Interviews

questions; and address any risk or hazard-relatedmaterial that might be appropriate. It is an excellentopportunity for the RPM or OSC to provide infor-mation and make himself or herself available toeach interviewee to answer questions directly. Thebriefing should come only after the interview hasended, after the interviewee has had an opportunityto express views freely.

For enforcement actions, remember that membersof the Site Team are not investigators of PRPactions at the site. If this type of information isvolunteered during interviews, the CIC shouldadvise the resident that the information will bepassed on to the RPM/OSC and other appropriateEPA officials. If warranted, civil investigators mayfollow-up on this information.

Immediately after the interviews, send athank-you note to each interviewee andsummarize notes from each interview.

After each interview, review what you heard withthose who accompanied you. Did you hear thesame things? Did you get the same impressions?Do this as soon as possible, but certainly not whilestanding outside the interviewee’s house. Quicklyfollow-up by phone for any additional information orclarification that might be needed, or to provide anyinformation that was promised to the interviewee. Italso is a good idea to send a thank-you notepromptly to everyone who was interviewed.

Summarize notes from each interview as soon aspossible, when memories are fresh and notes areeasier to transcribe. Use this information to preparea general summary of community interviews.

Make appropriate changes to the process as you goalong. Use information and insights from earlierinterviews to refine interview protocols to exploreemerging patterns or issues in subsequent inter-views. Expand the list of interviewees based on theadvice provided by the people you talk to.

Identify key community needs, concerns,expectations, and communications prefer-ences derived from community interviews.

After all of the interviews are conducted, meet withthe RPM or OSC and the contractor, if appropriate,to discuss what was learned and the overall “feel”

of the interviews. The CIC is responsible forpreparing a summary of all the interviews. Use thesummarized notes from individual interviews toprepare a general summary of the communityinterviews. This general summary of communityinterviews typically is the basis for the “CommunityNeeds and Concerns” section of the CIP.

Generally, when writing the summary of communityinterviews, remember that the individual interviewsare protected from disclosure; therefore, theyshould not be released. The summary may includequotes from community interviews, butinterviewees should not be identified. Names,addresses, or phone numbers of private citizensobtained during the community interviews processshould not be released or appear in any publicdocument, nor should information be included thatwill allow others to deduce the identity of anyindividual. Generally, the list of the private-citizeninterviewees and the interview schedule also arenot to be released.

The summary and analysis of the information fromcommunity interviews should be more qualitativethan quantitative—generally, in a narrative de-scribing what was said rather than giving rawnumbers. It can be useful to show responses in atable or other visual format. Since interviewstypically are not based on a scientific sample ofthe population, responses generally should not beconsidered statistically representative of thecommunity as a whole.

We recommend that the summary include informa-tion about the number of interviews conducted,when they were conducted and by whom, and howinterviewees were selected or how they representthe stakeholder groups in the community. It alsoshould describe what was heard from communitymembers during the interviews, as well as whatmay have been learned from community inter-views—the themes and major concerns that mayhave emerged. Were there things that were heardover and over and common views or perceptions?Were there differences in views, perceptions,needs, or concerns expressed by people fromdifferent perspectives, stakeholder groups, orsocioeconomic groups?

9

Community Interviews

Tips

We recommend you consider conducting morethan 15-25 interviews when:- A site is complex.- A site is controversial.- The affected community is large.- There are many community groups or groups

with differing views.

We recommend you be sensitive to cross-culturalissues (see Cultural Awareness tool). Seek tounderstand the cultural and behavioral expecta-tions of the community and the interviewee, andmodify your behavior accordingly, if necessary.

We recommend you consider and addresslanguage needs by arranging in advance to bringalong an interpreter when interviewing people forwhom English is not their primary language, or asign language interpreter for the hearing-im-paired.

Determine in advance whether an interpreter/translator is needed. Even if the interviewee isfairly comfortable speaking English, it sometimesis useful to have an interpreter/translator avail-able in case translation is needed at some point inthe conversation.

In many cases, it is useful to schedule the firstset of interviews with state and local officials toobtain background information and to let thesecounterparts know of your plans to interviewarea residents. If you are aware that the com-munity mistrusts local officials or if the localgovernment is a PRP, you may want to interviewcommunity members first, and then follow-upwith local officials. It is important to ensure thatall stakeholders understand EPA’s intent is tolisten to as many viewpoints from the communityas possible.

You may wish to conduct one or more groupinterviews or focus groups in conjunction withindividual interviews. Keep in mind, however,that group interviews have a different dynamicand are not a substitute for individual interviews.Interviews with groups of people can be domi-nated by one or more vocal participants, andsome participants may self-censor or defer tomore powerful or knowledgeable speakers.What can emerge is a picture of what the groupthinks rather than an accurate idea of whatindividuals in the group think or feel.

When conducting community interviews, werecommend you use a map of the site and itssurrounding areas to provide a visual referenceof areas of concern within the site and to helpinterviewees understand the site’s location inrelationship to them.

In the rare cases where there is strong mistrustof EPA, it may be useful to ask a third-partycontractor to conduct community interviews. Inthese cases, contractors should be accompaniedby EPA staff.

Another option for conducting communityinterviews is to visit residents via door-to-doorengagement. This can be an effective method ofoutreach for sites with a timely need for comple-tion of the CIP, or at the time of the five-yearreview. As with the method of schedulinginterviews by initial phone contact, door-to-door“calling” as a first method of contact should beconducted with the same sensitivity. A residentshould not receive a visit too early in the day ortoo late in the evening. Consider sharing withresidents a fact sheet or meeting announcementthat contains the site repository location(s) andsite team representative contact information asyour “calling card.” Introducing yourself as arepresentative of the Agency who wants to relayinformation about Superfund’s short or long-termpresence in the community is the key message.

There are many ways to summarize what washeard and what was learned from communityinterviews in a clear and meaningful way. ManyCIPs summarize this information by organizingthe responses from community interviews in anumber of categories. Examples include:- The 2013 CIP for Tuba City Dump, which

discusses (1) Community Concerns about CleanUp Duration, Drinking Water Well Contamina-tion, Past Exposure to Smoke from the Dump,Water Supply and Quality; and (2) Communica-tions and Public Education Preferences. (Seehttp://yosemite.epa.gov/r9/sfund/r9sfdocw.nsf/3dec8ba3252368428825742600743733/2a32894331dfa3b88825771200761e61/$file/tuba%20city%20cip%202_13.pdf)

- The 2009 CIP for the Hudson River PCBssite, which discusses: (1) community concernsabout the process; and (2) community con-cerns about the remedy. (See http://www.epa.gov/hudson/cip.htm.)

10

Community Interviews

Community Involvement Plans Community Profiles Cultural Awareness

Related Tools Technical Assistance for Communities Technical Assistance Needs Assessment

- The 2009 CIP for the Iron King Mine/Humbolt Smelter site summarizes commu-nity concerns in several categories: (1)Environmental Concerns; (2) Human HealthConcerns; (3) Superfund Cleanup ActivityConcerns; (4) Cleanup Costs and FinancialImpacts Concerns; (5) Communications andPublic Education Concerns; and (6) FutureSite Use Concerns. (See http://yosemite.epa.gov/r9/sfund/r9sfdocw.nsf/3dc283e6c5d6056f88257426007417a2/f771fade9d9362d7882576f80078c62e!OpenDocument.)

AttachmentsAttached ItemsWithin this Tool

Attachment 1: Determining Interview Objectivesand Drafting Questions

Attachment 2: Guide to Identifying People toInterview

Attachment 3: Community Interviews—Recom-mended Questions for Assessing CommunityTechnical Assistance Needs

Attachment 4: Sample Scheduling Call Attachment 5: Sample Confirming Letter

11

Community Interviews

Attachment 1: Determining Interview Objectives and DraftingQuestions

You should consider using the recommendations in this tool to define objectives for community interviewsand start crafting specific questions to ask interviewees. The recommended objectives and questions arenot listed in the order in which they would be addressed in an interview.

Once the questions are defined, you can use them to prepare an interview protocol questionnaire. Werecommend you carefully reorganize the questions in an order that will allow you to touch all bases andengage the interviewee in a conversation-like interview. Once the master interview protocol is developed, youmay need to customize it for interviews with different people based on their needs, perspectives, and interests.

Recommended Objective: Recommended Questions to Ask1:

Identify the issues and concerns mostimportant to community members.

Gather information about specific siteissues, including past uses, practices, orother history about the site that the SiteTeam would like to ask communitymembers about. Specify:

__________________________

Gain insights about perceptions andexperiences of community members withEPA, state, or other government agencies.

Who to Ask:

Please explain why this site is important toyou.

What do you know about the XX site?

What are your concerns about the site andits cleanup? What is your biggestconcern?

Do you know if anything has been done?What is your understanding of thecontamination related to the XX SuperfundSite?

What is your understanding of theoperations, history, and environmentalissues at the XX site?

Are you aware of any events, incidents,or activities at the site such as vandalism,trespassing, or emergency responsesfrom local authorities? If so, please givedetails. What needs our immediateattention going forward?

What is your opinion of the government’scommitment to cleaning up hazardouswaste at the XX site?

What has your experience been withgovernment agencies at the site?

Have you had any site-related experi-ences with EPA, the state, or any othergovernment agencies or officials? If so,how would you describe your experience?

1 Sample questions are from interview protocols for the following sites: Iron King Mine (submitted by David Cooper, Region 9); Motorola-52d Street site CIPUpdate interviews (submitted by Leanna Rosetti, Region 9); Mountain View site Five-Year Review interviews (submitted by David Cooper); and SafetyLight Corporation (submitted by Trish Taylor, Region 3).

12

Community Interviews

Recommended Objective (cont.) Recommended Questions to Ask (cont.) Who to Ask (cont.)

What contacts have you had with govern-ment officials about the site? Do you feel thatthese officials have been responsive toyour concerns? Why or why not?

In your opinion, what do people in thiscommunity think about the presence offederal (or state) regulatory agencies in thearea?

Who do you consider to be site officials?How trusted or credible do you think theyare in the community?

Have you contacted the state or EPA in thepast to inquire about the site? (If so, wereyour questions or concerns answered toyour satisfaction?)

Have you shared site concerns withanyone from the project? Are you aware ofanything that has been done to addressthese concerns?

How did you first become aware ofcontamination associated with the site?

How did you get information about the site?

How are you currently receiving informationabout the site?

How effective has EPA or the state’scommunication been in the past?

Is the information from EPA or the state clearand easy to understand?

Do you currently receive site information? Ifso, how are you currently receivinginformation about the site? How frequently?

Is the information clear and easy tounderstand?

Whom would you contact with questionsabout the site?

Do you feel you have been kept adequatelyinformed? If not, what can be done tochange this?

Determine the ways in which individualscurrently seek or receive news andinformation about the site and site-relatedissues.

13

Community Interviews

How do you feel about the level ofcommunity involvement and outreach fromthe project to the residences and busi-nesses affected by the site?

What would enable you to feel fullyengaged in the cleanup of XX Superfundsite? How can we support each other inmaking this happen?

How can we provide you with informationabout site cleanup? Fact sheets? Internet?News media? Workshops? Public notices?Community meetings? Other?

How often?

What is the best way to provide informationto you? (Newsletters, fact sheets,community meetings, CAGs, other)

In what ways would you like to be informedabout upcoming or future site-relatedactivities?

How often do you want to get informationabout what is going on at the XX site?(Weekly? Monthly? Quarterly? Only whensomething significant happens?)

What kind of information about the site doyou want or need?

Are you interested in being on the mailinglist to receive information updates onenvironmental cleanup activities at the XXSuperfund site? ___Yes___No

If so, can we confirm your address (andemail address)?

Recommended Objective (cont.) Recommended Questions to Ask (cont.) Who to Ask (cont.)

Determine the ways in which individualswould like to be kept informed about siteissues and news, the frequency ofcommunications or notifications, and thetypes of “triggering events” or circum-stances to be used to determine that theywant notification of site news.

Identify existing communications outlets(newspapers, websites, blogs, etc.) mostfrequently used by community membersand the trusted organizations that could beused to help disseminate site-relatedinformation or news.

What newspapers, newsletters, churchbulletins, local websites, or blogs do youread regularly?

Do you know where to find information onthe XX site?

Are you aware of the informationrepositories for the site? Have you everused them to find information for the site?

Are you aware of EPA’s website?

14

Community Interviews

Recommended Objective (cont.) Recommended Questions to Ask (cont.) Who to Ask (cont.)

Are there community or church bulletinboards, storefronts, or other places wherepeople post notices or signs about localevents or activities?

Are there particular community newsletters,websites, local newspapers, churchbulletins, or other places that communitymembers often consult to learn of localactivities and events?

Where are the best places to post signs ornotices about activities and events?

What days and location would be best forpublic or community meetings?

Do you think that there are stakeholders inthe community who are not having theirconcerns addressed?

Who should we speak with to learn of thesestakeholders needs?

Do you participate in any civic orcommunity organizations? If so, whichones?

What organizations or individuals do youconsider to be the most credible onenvironmental issues in your community?

Who do you consider to be leaders in thecommunity?

Are there local entities in the community thatyou trust to receive environmentalinformation from (e.g. local college oruniversity?)

Identify the places in the community, regularevents, or situations in which communitymembers often gather (These could begood places or opportunities for publicmeetings, availability sessions, or forposting site information, etc.)

Determine whether there are potentialenvironmental justice issues or perceptionsof environmental injustice among communitymembers.

Identify additional community groups,organizations, and leaders who should beinvolved in community involvement efforts.

Ensure that all segments of the communityare identified and reached with informationabout the site. Explore whether there aremembers of the community who may beforgotten, under-represented or notrepresented at all in community groups,due to cultural, language, racial, economic,or social factors.

Is English widely understood in thiscommunity? What other languages dopeople speak in the area?

What other individuals might we contactabout the site?

Who are or would be the first five peopleyou would share project information with?

Can you suggest other individuals or groupsthat should be contacted for additionalinformation or added to the mailing list?

15

Community Interviews

Recommended Objective (cont.) Recommended Questions to Ask (cont.) Who to Ask (cont.)

Is there anyone else that you think might beuseful for us to talk with about the site?

Do you know of any individuals or groupsthat may have special needs or need specialconsiderations? (deaf, blind, disabled,homebound, etc.)

SEE ATTACHMENT 3.Determine whether there is a need fortechnical assistance services for thecommunity.

*If there appears to be a need for additionaltechnical assistance services in the commu-nity, plan to conduct a Technical AssistanceNeeds Assessment concurrently, if possible. Ifcommunity members cannot yet articulate ordefine specific technical assistance needs atthis time, the TANA can be conducted later.)

Identify and explore community perceptionsor opinions toward specific issues or siteconcerns that the Site Team wants tounderstand more about, including thefollowing:

___________________________________

___________________________________

Other:

Do you think there may be any opportunitiesfor future reuse? Do you have anycomments, suggestions or recommendations?

Questions regarding vapor intrusionsampling issues, etc.?

Is there anything else you would like toshare about the site?

Is there anyone in particular whom youthink we should be sure to include in ourcommunity interviews?

16

Community Interviews

Attachment 2: Recommended Guide to Identifying Interviewees

Site Name ____________________________ Date ______________________________

CERCLIS # __________________________ CIC _______________________________

You should consider using the recommendations in this tool to help define the segments of thecommunity and community groups that should be represented in interviews and to identify theindividuals who should be contacted for interviews.

1. Recommended Ways to Identify Segments of the Community andCommunity Groups

All residents who live contiguous to the site; All residents who live within known paths of migration; Local and state officials—mayor, supervisors/council members, police chief, fire chief, and state

officials/staff, if appropriate; Civic leaders—presidents of service and civic clubs (e.g., Kiwanis, Rotary), Chamber of Commerce,

Parent-Teacher-Student Association officers, principals, teachers, clergy; Representatives of environmental and public interest groups; Representatives of community-based, grassroots organizations, including neighborhood associations and

informal community groups; PRPs, as appropriate; Persons identified by the question: “Who else should we be talking to?” If interviews are being conducted for a CIP revision, persons interviewed previously for the CIP

process. If interviews are being conducted for a second five-year review, persons interviewed for the previous

five-year review.

Additional groups to consider including:

Other individuals and groups that are likely to be affected, feel they are affected by, or who are interestedin news about the site:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Individuals and groups who are likely to be concerned about site issues:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Individuals and groups who may be disadvantaged, under-represented, or not represented at all (due to

social, economic, or cultural factors):

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Identify Individuals Who Should be Interviewed

You should consider using the information above when you begin identifying specific individualsto interview who represent each group or segment of the community.

17

Community Interviews

Examples of Groups or Segmentsof the Community Individuals/Key Contact Specific Concerns/Issues

Local officials

State agency staff

Other federal agencies (ATSDR, DoD, DOE)

Area residents directly affected by the site

Others who are likely to be affected or feelthey are affected by the site, or who areinterested in news about the site

Workers and their families(if applicable)

Civic groups/leaders

Local business representatives

Environmental and public interest groups

18

Community Interviews

Community activists and community-basedand grassroots organizations

TAG/TAP/TASC recipient group orgroups

Community advisory group

Local school principals, etc.

People interviewed in previous communityinterviews (if applicable)

Potentially responsible parties

Examples of Groups or Segmentsof the Community Individuals/Key Contact Specific Concerns/Issues

19

Community Interviews

Examples of Subgroups Individuals/Key Contact Specific Concerns/Issues

Non-English speakers and recentimmigrants

Groups and individuals with potentialenvironmental justice concerns

Interviewees identified by other communitystakeholders

Others

Additional Notes:

20

Community Interviews

Attachment 3: Community Interviews—Recommended Questionsfor Assessing Community Technical Assistance Needs

Part 1—Screening-level Technical Assistance Questions for All CommunityMembers Interviewed:

During the Superfund process, EPA will provide information to keep you informed about and helpyou understand the work that is going on at the site. This information sometimes is relatively non-technical information such as fact sheets.

1. Have you seen or read any information about the site that EPA sent to you or was published orposted on a web site? If you saw it but didn’t read it, is there a particular reason why you didn’t readit?

2. If you have read information from EPA, what did you read?- Did you find the information easy to understand?- What do you not understand? How could we make this information easier to understand?- Is there additional information you are interested in receiving?

EPA will produce technical reports and analyses that describe site contamination and how EPA plansto address the site. These reports include sampling plans and results, the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS), Proposed Plan, Record of Decision (ROD), and construction documents.

3. Are you, or do you know of others who are, interested in reading site technical documents to betterunderstand EPA’s assessment of site problems and recommendations to address the problems?

4. Are you interested in reviewing and providing comments on EPA’s analyses and recommendations?

5. Do you feel that you have the background or experience necessary to understand and comment onthe technical documents?

6. Are you interested in assistance from EPA to help you to understand site issues, technical documents,and decisions? If so, how can EPA best help you to understand complex technical information aboutsite problems and cleanup solutions? (If the interviewee does not offer specific suggestions, readthe following list and check all that apply).

a. Easy-to-read summary documents and fact sheets

b. Easy-to-understand information about remediation technolo-gies and related topics

c. Availability sessions where members of the Site Team areavailable to talk with you and answer questions

d. In-person workshops or training sessions on technical topics

e. Workshops or training sessions on technical topics offered onthe Internet

f. Information translated into another language (Specify:___________)

g. Assistance provided by a non-EPA technical expert workingwith a community organization. (This can be provided only toqualified community groups willing to manage this assistanceand share it with the broader community.)

h. Other:

21

Community Interviews

When is technical assistance provided by EPA sufficient?

In many communities, generally where there is a high degree of trust and transparency and where thecommunity has not requested additional assistance, the information provided by EPA through its commu-nity involvement process usually is sufficient to meet the technical assistance needs of community mem-bers affected by a Superfund site.

Sometimes, the Site Team may provide additional resources to the community to help them understandtechnical issues. The conditions or situations that can suggest the need for additional informal technicalassistance (assistance that generally is provided by the Site Team, such as fact sheets, workshops,availability sessions, etc.) include:

Obvious community interest to become involved in the process or to partner with EPA. Lack of, or limited expertise or understanding within the community about the Superfund process and

cleanup options. Clear or increased community interest in the site and EPA’s role in the cleanup, measured by an in-

crease in the frequency of contacts from the community. Obvious community interest to understand the Superfund process, remediation options, technical docu-

ments, and EPA’s rationale for its decisions. Media coverage of the site and EPA’s efforts at the site.

When should a TANA (Technical Assistance Needs Assessment) be conducted?

If one or more of the following conditions become evident during the initial interviews or later during theSuperfund process, a TANA should be completed with selected interviewees to help you determine thecommunity’s potential need for additional technical assistance. This may include additional informaltechnical assistance (as described above) or formal technical assistance (assistance that generally isprovided by an outside technical expert or mediator/facilitator working with a community organization,usually through an EPA program or funding mechanism [Technical Asistance Grant (TAG) program,Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) program, Conflict Prevention and Resolution Services(CPRS) contract, etc.] or through an external partner such as a university or non-profit organization):

Existence of a community group—either a formal group or a loosely organized group— interested in thecleanup of the site and/or its future use.

A specific request for technical assistance, such as inquiring about TAG, requesting training, or askingfor help convening a Community Advisory Group (CAG) or similar group.

Clear concern (both organized and unorganized) regarding the characterization of the site, the riskassessment, or proposed remedies.

Stated intention by the community or individuals of plans to submit comments to EPA. The receipt of numerous or significant comments, both formal (as a result of the comment period) and

informal (through phone calls or emails). Significant media coverage of the site and EPA’s efforts at the site. It becomes evident that some community stakeholders have not been given the chance to fully engage

in the Superfund cleanup process, and the TANA will provide an opportunity to expand the conversationon environmentalism.

The technical assistance needs of the community are significant and complex.

Part 2—The Formal TANA:

Please see the Technical Assistance Needs Assessment tool at [www.epa.gov/superfund/commu-nity/pdfs/toolkit/tana.pdf] for additional questions for community leaders, representatives ofcommunity groups, and others who may be able to help define the community’s potential techni-cal assistance needs.

22

Community Interviews

Attachment 4: Sample Scheduling Call (by Contractor or CIC)

Hi, My name is_________. [I’m a contractor to the United States Environmental Protection Agency andam calling on behalf of EPA.] By now you are probably aware of the ________ Superfund site in yourcommunity. EPA believes that community members like you have valuable insights and can often provideinformation that can be helpful in determining how to address a site.

In XX weeks, _____________, EPA’s Community Involvement Coordinator for the ________ site willbe in your neighborhood. He/She/I will be conducting interviews to learn more about the community andwhat it needs from EPA. We would greatly appreciate your participation. The interview should take aboutan hour and your participation will be kept confidential. Your participation will help EPA get a better pictureof what is important to you about this site and how EPA can ensure that the community’s needs andconcerns are addressed. I would like to arrange a time that will be convenient for you to meet with me/him/her.

Would you be available (give the choice of 2-3 different days/times)?

(If they agree, give an example; Tuesday between 1-2 PM is taken but...) Great! In addition to me, Iexpect [(name) the site RPM to participate, along with our contractor, who will take notes at the inter-view]. (Identify others, if appropriate.)

Can we meet with you at your home? Or is there another location that you might prefer? Let’s plan tospend about an hour together, but it could be less.

We’ll confirm our appointment before that date. If you need to reach me, please don’t hesitate to call meat (give telephone number). If you prefer, I can contact you by email, if you’d like to provide your emailaddress.(___________________).

Thank you for your participation. Your input can help shape this cleanup. We look forward to meeting youon (date, day, and time).

23

Community Interviews

Attachment 5: Sample Confirming Letter or Email from CIC

Dear X,

Thank you for agreeing to participate in the community interviews for the_____ site. We look forward tolearning more about your concerns about the site and the impact it has had on your community. We areinterviewing a broad range of people in the community to ensure that all views are heard.

What you tell us will remain confidential. We may talk about what we learned from community interviews,but we will never attribute specific views or comments to an individual or talk about them in a way thatwould allow others to know who talked with us. Combined with what we learn through interviews withother members of the community, your views will help EPA create a Community Involvement Plan for the______ site that is specifically designed for the members of your community.

I have scheduled our interview for (**insert date and time**). If your schedule changes, I can be reachedat (**insert telephone #**/email address). I look forward to meeting you.

Sincerely,

*insert name*

Community Involvement Coordinator