W. Va. Code R. § 38-10-5 - Duties of the Environmental advocate Office

The Environmental Advocate will perform the duties of the position as follows:

5.1. Implement a process to evaluate public opinion on the quality and effectiveness of the functions of the Division of Environmental Protection. The evaluation process should be completed within six (6) months of the date of appointment to office and "updated periodically.

5.2. Attend open meetings, public hearings, proceedings, and conferences to collect and distribute information on a range of environmental issues.

5.3 Systematically become familiar with, and acquire a working knowledge of all programmatic functions of the Division of Environmental Protection.

5.4. Provide advice and assistance to citizens seeking resolution of environmental problems. To conserve resources, the Environmental Advocate should concentrate on issues that have wide-ranging, state-wide implications, rather than on isolated or local issues unless they are of a precedent-setting nature.

5.5. Assist the Division of Environmental Protection to develop brochures outlining the services of the position, as well as other information efforts that are appropriately conducted in concert with the Public Information Office or the Director.

5.6. Participate in public service media programming on environmental issues.

5.7. Assist citizens with obtaining information, interpreting information, and directing citizens to sources of technical information.

5.8. Assist and advise citizens on how to participate in state agency processes, such as public comments on rules, statutory amendments, draft permits etc..

5.9. Write articles for publication by the Public Information Office and other print media regarding advocate activities or areas of environmental interest.

5.10. Direct citizens to appropriate public legal resources such as referral services provided by legal services associations.

5.11. Attend executive and other agency staff meetings, where appropriate, and share information as appropriate.

5.12. Cooperate with the Director and the Division of Environmental Protection in reaching negotiated settlement of issues in dispute between the Division of Environmental Protection and citizens or citizens' groups.

5.13. Develop and submit to the Director an annual action plan for the coining year of position operation which contains realistically achievable objectives. The first year plan of operation will be completed within six (5) months of appointment. Each plan will be revised quarterly to accommodate changes in focus arising from public interest or programmatic needs.

5.14. Prepare an annual statement summarizing the accomplishments of the position to be published by the Public Information Office in the Division of Environmental Protection's annual report.

5.15. The Environmental Advocate will provide the Director with current information relating to citizens' environmental concerns. Such information may be of a general nature which is important to the State but should primarily be related to issues that are precedent setting and having state-wide implications.

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Notes

W. Va. Code R. § 38-10-5