Pinal Creek Group Welcomes Public Participation
Although state and federal regulators often visit the Pinal Creek remediation project, for many years the Pinal Creek Group also has hosted numerous interested parties and VIPs at the Pinal Creek site. Visitors receive technical presentations and facility tours and often visit locations at Pinal Creek where they can personally observe the project’s success.
Occasionally, the tours and briefings have an international flavor. For example, an academic group that recently visited the Pinal Creek project included students from Brazil, Spain, and Chile. Other groups have included visitors from South Africa, Australia, and Peru. The Pinal Creek Group also works actively with state and local government officials, school districts, scouting organizations, church groups, community service organizations, and individuals who have an interest in the Pinal Creek project.
Pinal Creek Group has hosted several distinguished visitors, including Rick Renzi, Congressman for Arizona’s 1st District, and staff members of the Arizona Congressional Delegation. Congressman Renzi commented that he was impressed with the progress being made by private sector entities acting cooperatively with state and federal regulators. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Committee of the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy also visited the Pinal Creek project and gained an understanding of how well the Arizona’s superfund program (WQARF) works under the administration of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
According to Jay Spehar, the Pinal Creek Group’s Technical Committee Chairman and public spokesman, “Over the past several years, the Pinal Creek Group has engaged in over two hundred public outreach and participation activities. We welcome these opportunities to receive public input and to share our experiences with interested parties. It’s a very constructive process and a great learning experience for all parties concerned.