From the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Environmental Assistance Center:

We are seeking input through listening sessions from our customers - the regulated community, government agencies, and environmental advocacy groups - to determine what assistance they need and ways DENR can improve. A cross-section of our customers will be invited to listening sessions in seven locations across the state in September and October of 2011. We hope that attendees will take the information back to colleagues and associates in their respective fields so that we reach the broadest possible community.

The Asheville listening session will be held Oct. 11, 1:30 – 3:30 pm at:
The Folk Art Center
Milepost 382, Blue Ridge Parkway
Asheville, N.C.
828-296-0495

The Environmental Assistance Center (EAC) is now a role of the Division of Environmental Assistance and Outreach to support DENR’s enhanced assistance initiative. In May, Secretary Freeman announced the Center was being created to provide more customer focused permit information and compliance assistance. The primary purpose of the Center is to help businesses, local governments and citizens identify, understand and comply with the state’s environmental requirements. The targeted audience will be those affected by new rules, small businesses and others who need guidance through the regulatory process.

This concept is an outgrowth of the Permit Improvements Team, part of a multi-year, ongoing service improvement effort within the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. One of the current tasks for the EAC is to determine how we can best measure and improve our customer service efforts, and this is one step in that process. The purpose of the listening sessions is simply to hear from our customers to identify problems and find ways we can improve our service.

For those not able to attend a listening session, we have an online survey. Click where it says “How can we serve you better?” on the DENR homepage, http://portal.ncdenr.org.

The DENR Environmental Assistance Office (DEAO) coordinators focus on the needs of citizens, local governments and businesses who are frequently affected by environmental rules. Environmental assistance coordinators serve as a single point of contact and help streamline regulatory and permitting processes.