The Department will ensure that all guidance documents and regulations are developed with effective participation by the public during all steps in the process. The purpose of these guidelines is to improve public access to information and decision-making in the Department. These guidelines are applicable to all technical guidance documents and regulations. A key area where the Department can make substantial improvements deals with our procedures for involving the public in the development of both regulations and technical guidance.
Public participation is an integral part of the development process.
The Department recognizes that no one person or group speaks for the public. As a result, the Department must reach out to broaden public participation to understand what the public thinks, to better inform the Department, and to ensure that the public understands what the Department is doing and why it is doing it. All regulations and technical guidance documents should be developed with effective involvement from the public. This term includes but is not limited to citizens, interest groups, local governments and business and industry associations. Public involvement in the process must occur early and often.