Public Notice: DRAFT Public Participation Plan: A Strategy for citizen Involvement

DVRPC has a long history of public involvement in its plans and programs, beginning in the 1970s when federal mandates outlined the basics of citizen involvement. First issued in 2001, and updated in 2004, the DVRPC Public Participation Plan is designed for DVRPC's Board, staff and the general public as an outline of the Commission's overall strategy for public participation; it also includes the policies that are inherent to the operation of this agency into the twenty-first century.

It is now time to examine and reissue the Public Participation Plan, to ensure its compliance with current federal transportation legislation, specifically the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). In addition, an expanded section on environmental justice has been added to the Plan, incorporating elements from the previously released DVRPC Environmental Justice Protocol. This reissue also provides an excellent opportunity for the Commission to reaffirm its commitment to a transparent, open and inclusive planning process.

The Draft Public Participation Plan is scheduled to be released for a 45-day public comment period beginning on November 16, 2007 and ending on January 2, 2008. Copies of the Draft Public Participation Plan are available in the DVRPC Library as well as in a number of regional libraries, online at www.dvrpc.org, or by contacting Jane M. Meconi, AICP, Manager of Public Involvement/Title VI Compliance at (215) 592-1800 or public_affairs@dvrpc.org. Comments should be mailed to Ms. Meconi at 190 N. Independence Mall West, 8th Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19106, via email to public_affairs@dvrpc.org or faxed to (215) 592-9125. All comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., January 2, 2008.