 |
Environmental planning efforts affect a community’s social and economic opportunities. Yet these initiatives can be clouded with uncertainty based upon inaccurate public perception. Whether proactive or reactive, environmental planning commands a strong public involvement program as an essential element in the success of these efforts.
The IBM - Neighborhood America Public Comment Service is uniquely designed to simplify these complex projects, helping to manage internal communication while enhancing citizen outreach and public involvement.
Proven Solutions
1. Brownfields and Superfund Sites. While the redevelopment of land in brownfields and superfund sites provides valuable revitalization opportunities for a community, the reuse of the land is often highly controversial. The process leading to approval is often clouded with uncertainty based upon inaccurate or incomplete communication. Spartanburg, South Carolina recently implemented the IBM - Neighborhood America Public Comment Service after recognizing that the county’s planning efforts relied upon a strong public involvement. The system will help the project team collaborate internally, educate and engage stakeholders, and identify important issues early in the process.
2. Water Management. The management of our increasingly scarce water resources is often highly controversial and affects many special interests. Neighborhood America's solution has been adopted in planning environments nationwide requiring the collaboration of property owners, commercial interests, environmental groups, power companies, and the state and federal agencies that regulate these processes.
We have provided a technology information infrastructure to some of the most sensitive environmental projects in the country, including the Everglades Restoration project and California’s Los Vaqueros Reservoir.
3. Environmental Impact Statements. The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and associated regulations, requires the federal government to evaluate the effects of its actions on the environment. An important part of this process is the Environmental Impact Statement, of which a key component is public comment and awareness. Neighborhood America’s technology has been utilized in many such projects, including the Rapid Denver Transit project. The system was launched to better understand the challenges and opportunities associated with using the Light Rail Transit to mitigate tremendous growth and expected congestion. Through Neighborhood America’s system, the public was free to share their own experiences regarding travel between Denver and Golden, and the outcome of the EIS was shaped by the experiences of the surrounding community.
System Benefits
The web-based IBM - Neighborhood America Public Comment Service facilitates communication with all project stakeholders, the project team and the public, in order to maximize the following:
- Manage the collection, moderation and reporting of public comment
- Provide easy and convenient access to information
- Educate and engage citizens and stakeholders with proactive outreach
- Identify important issues early in the project, and set priorities accordingly
- Manage communication and information sharing between team members and agencies
- Maintain a central repository of project data, images and video with 24/7 accessibility
- Reduce paperwork and administrative costs
- Create an institutional record for successful planning in the future
The IBM - Neighborhood America Public Comment Service is easy to implement, quick to deploy, and simple to use. For more information on this innovative, on demand solution, contact a sales representative.
|
|
|
