Chapter 6: Section D – Mailing Lists

Table of Contents

Overview
Responsibilities
Purpose
Timing
Scope
Mailing List Tips
Key Contacts

Overview

Mailing lists are project specific and include individuals and organizations who have expressed an interest in the permit determination or site, and/or wish to be kept informed of DTSC’s activities. Mailing lists are considered public record and may only be obtained through a written Public Records Act request. Project Managers should consider all mailing lists as public records, and coupons and sign-in sheets must contain a disclosure statement, which conveys this to anyone requesting to be placed on a mailing list.

You should consider the possibility of collecting e-mail address for electronic mailings.

Purpose

The mailing list assists in providing information to community members, contiguous property owners, State and local agencies, and elected officials throughout the permit determination, closure plan or remedial process.

Timing

Development of the mailing list should begin as soon as the permit application or closure plan is received, or the response action begins. Mailings can take place throughout the permitting/closure or the remedial process; therefore, the mailing list should always be up-to-date and available.

Scope

The geographic scope of the mailing list is left to the discretion of the Public Participation Specialist, except when required by statute or regulation (e.g., 1/4 mile radius for incinerator application), based upon density of population, community interest, location of potentially affected population, locations of schools, and sensitive receptors. A two to three block radius around the site maybe used as a guideline for high-density population, or a larger radius for more rural low-density areas. The mailing list must include:

• Mandatory mailing list;
• Regional mailing list;
• Schools;
• Public facilities;
• Persons indicating an interest (i.e., activist groups); and,
• Media.
• Contiguous property owners

Mailing List Tips

• The initial mailing list may consist of DTSC’s telephone log, record of inquiries about the site or permit application, elected officials and local agencies, and the DTSC-required mailing list;
• A useful technique to augment the mailing list is to include in fact sheets and public notices a clip-out coupon (including a disclosure statement that the mailing list is a public record) addressed to DTSC, requesting to be placed on the mailing list. An example of a mailing list coupon is shown in Appendix D, “Sample Fact Sheet”;
• A display ad in the local newspaper of a community may generate interest by local residents to be placed on the mailing list for a certain project;
• Project staff can request that the post office send fact sheets or other information to all addresses within a particular ZIP or postal route of a site or facility. Such materials should be addressed to “Postal Patron”, and arrangements for delivery need to be made ahead of time with the post office;
• Mailing lists for targeted areas (residents or businesses in a particular area) may be also procured through mailing houses or may be obtained, at no cost, through other public agencies (i.e., water district, planning department, etc.);
• Maintaining the mailing list can be the responsibility of project staff, contractors or the Responsible Party. It will be important to assign this responsibility, and ensure that the mailing list coupons received by DTSC project staff are directed to the appropriate person to be added to the mailing list; and,
• Purging of the mailing list should be done periodically to ensure up-to-date lists.
• Copies of the mailing lists need to be included in project files.

Key Contacts

State and Federal Elected Officials

• State Senate
• State Assembly
• U.S. Congress

Local Elected Officials

• County Supervisor (include all if there are more than one district)
• Mayor

City and Agency Officials

• RWQCB (person working with the facility and perhaps their senior)
• City Manager
• Water District
• City Department for Environmental Health
• SCAQMD (person working with the facility and perhaps their senior)
• County Department for Environmental Health
• School District
• City Planning Department
• County Planning Department
• Fire Marshal
  Mail delivery personnel

Local Contacts

• Environmental Groups
• Homeowners Associations
• Area Residents*
• Area Businesses
• Hospitals
• Adjacent Businesses
• Schools
• Day cares for children and the elderly
• Adjacent property owners
• Owners of the affected property

Media

• Newspapers
• Radio Stations
• Community television channels

*Exact radius to be determined based upon community interest/visibility.