Region 1: EPA New England

Public Access Standards

These standards apply to requests for general information from the public. They do not apply where legal requirements take precedence, such as Freedom of Information Act inquiries. They are in addition to the Six Principles and amplify them as they apply to working with the general public.

1. We will strive to make information available through a variety of channels, including electronic media and intermediaries, such as, community organizations and local libraries.
2. We will hold ourselves accountable for a satisfactory response by providing mechanisms (contact names and telephone numbers or e-mail addresses) for reporting back on the quality of our responses and referrals.
3. When customers write to us (via mail, fax or computer):
   • We will mail a response within ten business days of receipt. If we need more time to research the answer, we will contact you within those ten days to tell you when to expect our response and who the contact person is.
4. When customers telephone us, we will:
   • Provide an Agency-wide public information telephone line, which will help route inquiries.
   • Answer the call promptly and courteously.
   • Make every effort to answer questions immediately. Where that is not possible, we will provide a timetable for responding during the initial conversation.
5. When customers contact us via computer:
   
   • We will provide a single address for connection to all EPA resources on the Internet [http://www.epa.gov].
   • We will provide descriptions, including source and known quality, of data made available electronically.

"Customers don't care what you know,
until they know that you care." Ron Zemke