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News Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 9, 2007
PSRC Updating Public Participation Plan – Share Your ThoughtsSEATTLE— The Puget Sound Regional Council is seeking comment on draft revisions to its public participation plan. The plan, first adopted in 1994 and revised in 2002, guides the agency’s fundamental public involvement activities. PSRC is updating its participation plan to meet new requirements outlined by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The new plan specifies the agency’s goals and desired outcomes for public participation. Desired outcomes of the plan are to get public input on PSRC’s activities and decisions, to share information with a broad cross-section of the public, to ensure notification and participation of traditionally underserved populations, and to increase overall awareness of regional planning activities. Other additions include language specifying that PSRC will utilize visualization techniques to explain concepts, that all public comment received will be summarized and presented to the board and included in the documentation of the plans/programs (PSRC’s current practice already, but not previously specified in the participation plan), the commitment to provide opportunities for additional public comment when final documents differ significantly from those released for public comment, and clear definition of the roles and responsibilities for consulting with other government agencies. PSRC will also be developing a public involvement plan for the upcoming update to Destination 2030, the region’s long range transportation plan, and is interested in additional comments on the types of outreach activities that would be effective for this planning process. The draft revised public participation plan is available online with a form for public comment at psrc.org, or by calling PSRC's Information Center at 206-464-7532. The 45-day public comment period on the public participation plan runs through June 28, 2007. Written comments on the public participation plan received by June 21, will be included in the agenda packet for the decision making body.
Send Written Comments to: PSRC develops policies and coordinates decisions about regional growth and transportation planning in King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap counties. The Council is composed of over 80 county, city, port, transit, tribal and state agencies serving the region. It coordinates the distribution of about $160 million in Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration funds each year. PSRC sets priorities and evaluates the most efficient ways to target those funds to support state and local transportation and growth management plans. Title VI Notice: PSRC fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. For more information, or to obtain a Title VI Complaint Form, contact PSRC at 206-587-4819 or see http://www.psrc.org/about/titlevi/index.htm.
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