Informing and Involving Stakeholders and Other Interested Parties

DOE-HDBK-1148-2002

7.2.4

Informing and Involving Stakeholders and Other Interested Parties

Key Stakeholders and Interested Parties should be informed early of the intent to conduct the

Process and be invited to contribute. Experience has proven the value of inviting these parties'

participation, even when it merely provides them with an opportunity to decline. Informing and

inviting Interested Parties' participation and input is particularly crucial since these organizations

often play important decision making roles (outside of the N&S Process) regarding the

acceptability of the WSS set in relation to the work being performed. A Process application can

fail if it is not well understood and supported by the relevant Interested Parties.

The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) should be considered as an Interested

Party in all N&S Process activities associated with defense nuclear facilities since the DNFSB

has statutory responsibilities regarding standards for such facilities. Once a decision has been

made to undertake the Process, Agreement Parties should consult with the DNFSB on the

nature and opportunities of DNFSB involvement in a Process application.

Including representation from the applicable DOE Headquarters staff organization as an

Interested Party has been useful to ensure that issues and lessons learned from other DOE

N&S Process activities can be quickly identified and assimilated. Considering key citizens

groups as Stakeholders is particularly important. State and federal regulators should be

considered as Interested Parties because they often define the scope and requirements of

activities. Examples of these organizations include the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

and State Departments of Health.

To properly include the public in these matters requires good judgment and often dictates that

public relations experts be involved. Scheduling of public meetings may be needed to ensure

that the public is apprised of the key aspects of the Process application. News releases,

newspaper advertisements, and announcement to employees in electronic and printed forms

have been useful. The involvement of local unions and members of professional societies

should be considered. DOE Policy P 1210.1, Public Participation, provides a framework for the

operation of public participation programs at all DOE sites. Stakeholder involvement in N&S

Closure Process applications should be conducted though those existing programs and

specialists in those programs should be involved early in the initiation of the Process. A sample