Jeremiah Smith: “It is important for a State to be responsive to concerns brought up by its citizens. For example, under the New…”

“It is important for a State to be responsive to concerns brought up by its citizens. For example, under the New Hampshire program, if a citizen contacts the Department of Environmental Services, DES, regarding a site, the first and foremost consideration is to carefully assess the potential risk to human health and the environment. Both written and telephone communications are assigned to DES's Special Investigations Section in the Waste Management Division. There are four individuals who are involved in this work and provide round-the-clock coverage. DES first checks the data base to verify that the inquiry is indeed a new matter and decides, based upon the information offered, the level of risk and hence the immediacy of response required. Departmental protocol governs this practice. An essential element of this approach is based upon the intuitive, knowledgeable sense of the staff person receiving the call. An attempt is made to identify matters that require immediate response from others of a less immediate nature. In the event of a grave emergency, DES or the on-scene commander, may request assistance from EPA's emergency responders. In the case where a site warrants an emergency response, the citizen inquirer would be given information as soon as the site was in control and the responders or other Division staff could be made available to provide details.”