Understanding Public Concerns
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Environmental issues
Risk/perceived risk
Land and resource use
Roadway, bridge, rail line, and other major
infrastructure construction
Energy generation and use
Industrial practices and sustainability.
Questions about these issues can lead to
concerns and conflict between public- and privatesector organizations and the communities in which
they operate.
Savvy organizations understand that
addressing questions and concerns before they
lead to conflicts – and resolving conflicts that do
arise – improves relations with stakeholders and
communities and minimizes the likelihood of
lawsuits that can damage reputations, drain
resources, or halt work on vital projects.
The professionals at Rose Hill
Communications, Inc. believe that helping our
clients understand stakeholders’ goals, needs, and
viewpoints and promoting effective communication
can result in positive and durable relationships that
benefit all parties.
Rose Hill Communications
Professional Staff
Carol J. Forrest – Ms. Forrest has spent more than 21
years in the environmental consulting field with the
majority of her time devoted to community relations/
public involvement, environmental and risk
communication, and media relations/crisis
communication assistance on behalf of more than 50
public- and private-sector clients. A specialist in
stakeholder and community assessment, the model she
developed has been named an “Industry Best Practice.”
She is the co-author of The Practical Guide to
Environmental Community Relations and has
authored/co-authored numerous manuals and journal
articles. She holds a Masters of Management (MBA)
from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management
at Northwestern University.
Renee Hix Mays – Ms. Hix Mays’ experience in the
environmental consulting field began in the 1980s
scoring contaminated sites for inclusion on the federal
Superfund list and has progressed through work on a
variety of industrial and commercial sites and into the
areas of community relations/public involvement and
environmental and risk communication. She is coauthor of The Practical Guide to Environmental
Community Relations and author/co-author of a number
of other professional manuals and journal articles on
both EPA and OSHA topics and regulatory programs. In
addition to other professional accreditations, she holds a
Masters of Business Administration from Benedictine
University.
Susan K. Laue – Ms. Laue is an award-winning expert
in community relations/public involvement with
experience in environmental, socio-economic,
transportation, education, and health issues analysis for
public- and private-sector clients. She is also the
president of Media Masters, Inc. A former journalist,
she has conducted numerous successful media relations
and crisis communication campaigns and prepared
brochures and other materials, displays, and
presentations on environmental, transportation, health,
and risk issues. Her credentials include a Masters of
Science in Soil Science from the University of Kentucky
and a Masters of Media Management from the Medill
School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
Rose Hill
Communications, Inc.
Promoting Positive
Outcomes Through:
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Community relations and
public involvement
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Community and stakeholder
assessment
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Environmental and risk
communication
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Media relations and crisis
communication assistance
2341 Richmond Drive
Wheaton, IL 60189
(630) 510-9462
caroljforrest@aol.com
www.rosehillcommunications.com
Community Relations and
Public Involvement
Community relations/public involvement
programs promote two-way communication to build
positive relations with key stakeholders. In some
cases, clients are legally required to hold public
meetings, provide public notifications, or otherwise
communicate with stakeholders. Projects requiring such
efforts include:
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Municipal Brownfields redevelopment
Issuance and renewal of environmental permits
(air, wastewater discharges, RCRA)
Preparation of transportation EA/EIS
Construction of roadways, bridges, dams, and
other major public works.
Some organizations also choose to engage in
voluntary, proactive community relations/public
involvement activities. Rose Hill Communications’
professionals have designed and implemented dozens of
successful community relations/public involvement
programs throughout the U.S.
Community and Stakeholder
Assessment
Community and stakeholder assessment is the
process of systematically analyzing social, political, and
economic issues and dynamics in a community or
among stakeholder groups. The assessment process
allows our clients to achieve positive outcomes by:
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Identifying those who are affected, potentially
affected, or interested in an issue
Identifying effective methods for soliciting the
public’s input and communicating information
Providing relevant information to address
stakeholders’ specific interests or concerns.
The assessment process involves in-depth
interviews of stakeholders and/or community members
and review of media coverage, demographic and
economic data, land-use plans, etc. The information
gathered during an assessment allows Rose Hill
Communications’ professionals to design targeted
approaches that are both more effective and typically
less expensive than broad-brush communication efforts.
About Rose Hill
Communications, Inc.
Rose Hill Communications, Inc. is the
successor corporation to Equinox Environmental
Consultants, Ltd., which was incorporated in
January 1993.
An Illinois Corporation, Rose Hill
Communications’ professionals specialize in
community relations/public involvement and
environmental, risk, and other specialized areas of
communication. We work with public- and
private-sector clients. Our services include:
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Community relations/public involvement
program design and implementation
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Community and stakeholder assessment
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Environmental, health, transportation,
education, and risk communication
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Media relations and crisis communication
assistance
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Community advisory panel and workgroup design and facilitation
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Public meeting planning and
implementation of other public information
events
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News release, fact sheet, white paper,
environmental sustainability report, and
EA/EIS preparation
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Training material, procedures, and
regulatory manual preparation
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Scenario development for crisis
communication planning.
Environmental and Risk Communication
Environmental conditions and issues can affect
virtually anyone and give rise to significant public
interest, concerns, and inquiries. Thus, effective
communication can be vital to the completion – or even
the continued operation — of projects or facilities
perceived as having the potential to affect the
environment. In addition to superior communication
skills, good environmental communication requires a
solid understanding of the scientific and regulatory
elements of environmental issues. Our professionals
possess such expertise and can “translate” even highly
technical information into words and concepts that most
people can understand.
Risk communication is frequently an important
component of environmental communication. Risk
communication involves using specific and
understandable language to explain the science behind
concepts such as “hazard,” “exposure,” and “dose” with
compassion for the emotions and concerns of audience
members. Rose Hill Communications’ professionals use
the principles of risk communication to craft materials
and presentations that help stakeholders understand
what risk is and how it is managed.
Media Relations and Crisis
Communication Assistance
Community relations/public involvement
programs frequently involve working with the media to
ensure that information is disseminated to a wide
audience. Crises involving situations such as the
discovery of contamination or spills of hazardous
materials require the skillful release of relevant
information to affected parties and to the media.
Rose Hill Communications’ professionals bring
media relations and crisis communication/crisis planning
expertise to our clients. Our experience with the media
allows us to anticipate reporters’ questions, which
enables us to put together comprehensive media plans
for community relations/public involvement programs
and to assist in preparing news releases, fact sheets,
etc. for distribution during or after a crisis.
www.rosehillcommunications.com