Thomas R. Carper: “We must not have had any common sense.”

Not really. I have just come from the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, which is having a hearing on the Key Bridge, the bridge in Baltimore that was badly damaged.

Last year, the Environment and Public Works Committee held, I think, not one, but a couple of hearings on permitting, common theme at our hearings, on the importance of public engagement.

We help make the rules for the country, and we do not do this by ourselves.

Public engagement can build trust, it can increase public buy-in, can help resolve issues, can help prevent litigation, and ultimately it can save time and money.