BCMAC Petition Requests for Public Hearing Format, Shell Title V Permit
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
In order to ensure the robust public engagement encouraged by the federal Clean Air Act, we the undersigned urge the PA DEP to commit to holding any/all public hearing(s) for the Shell Title V permit in an open format that includes the following:
An auditorium setting, preferably within a local school;
Hearing days to be weeknights beginning no earlier than 6:00 pm and concluding no later than 10:00 pm;
One microphone at which all those presenting oral testimony will speak so that all in attendance can hear the comments being made;
Multiple hearings to be held if the public interest is so great that not all speakers could be heard in one evening;
A virtual option included for folks not able to attend in person;
We are adamantly opposed to any public hearing formats that utilize “stations” set up around the room that have, in past experiences, severely restricted the flow of communications between the applicant, the PA DEP and the public.
Folks attending public hearings learn by listening to the open comments of those testifying as they step to the microphone, one speaker at a time.
Members of the public from the communities directly impacted by the Shell Monaca plant are looking to the public hearing(s) as an opportunity for truly open communications. Therefore, any hearing format that serves to divide the communications at this essential event should not be allowed.
To:
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
From:
[Your Name]
In order to ensure the robust public engagement encouraged by the federal Clean Air Act, we the undersigned urge the PA DEP to commit to holding any/all public hearing(s) for the Shell Title V permit in an open format that includes the following:
An auditorium setting, preferably within a local school;
Hearing days to be weeknights beginning no earlier than 6:00 pm and concluding no later than 10:00 pm;
One microphone at which all those presenting oral testimony will speak so that all in attendance can hear the comments being made;
Multiple hearings to be held if the public interest is so great that not all speakers could be heard in one evening;
A virtual option included for folks not able to attend in person;
We are adamantly opposed to any public hearing formats that utilize “stations” set up around the room that have, in past experiences, severely restricted the flow of communications between the applicant, the PA DEP and the public.
Folks attending public hearings learn by listening to the open comments of those testifying as they step to the microphone, one speaker at a time.
Members of the public from the communities directly impacted by the Shell Monaca plant are looking to the public hearing(s) as an opportunity for truly open communications. Therefore, any hearing format that serves to divide the communications at this essential event should not be allowed.