- Apr 16, 2023
- 719
- 125
Hello and welcome! My name is Eric and I'm your forum administrator.
A little bit about myself: I'm a long-time federal regulator with an interest in stakeholder engagement and strategic communication as relates to government permit programs. Throughout my career, I've dealt with all kinds of applicants and permitting professionals, ranging from the highly experienced to the smaller "mom and pops." I've seen both applicants and permitting professionals make mistakes that cost time and resources and I've seen the same mistakes get repeated over and over again. I've also seen applicants get frustrated when delays (sometimes our fault, sometimes theirs) cause the process to drag out and impact project timelines. On the agency side, I've seen how the demand to manage heavy workloads while administering detailed procedural requirements can lead to burnout. This is especially true when staff don't feel like the procedures are having much of a real world impact.
My hope is that by serving as an online "town hall" for permitting issues, this forum can help improve the situation for everyone. The more we can cultivate open and robust conversation on any issue facing society, the better off we all become, and government permitting programs are no exception to this. For applicants, I want this forum to serve as a place where you can come to ask "dumb" questions about permitting requirements, get input from others who have been in similar situations, and be relieved of any notion that government permit programs are a "black box" beyond your understanding (we're people, just like you!). For permitting professionals, I want this forum to serve as a place where you can compare notes with others regarding your experiences with different agencies and share invaluable "lessons learned" you've gathered throughout your career. For agency staff, I want this forum to be an opportunity for you to really make a difference - not only within your current sphere of influence, but outside of it as well. By engaging in open dialog on issues involving other agency practices, and letting your thoughts and ideas be known, you can improve the process for everyone.
Thank you for your interest in this forum! I look forward to seeing your questions and perspectives on permitting issues. If you have any questions or comments for me, please don't hesitate to reach out. You can get my attention by mentioning my name (using "@Eric") in any post or by starting a private conversation with me through my profile.
A little bit about myself: I'm a long-time federal regulator with an interest in stakeholder engagement and strategic communication as relates to government permit programs. Throughout my career, I've dealt with all kinds of applicants and permitting professionals, ranging from the highly experienced to the smaller "mom and pops." I've seen both applicants and permitting professionals make mistakes that cost time and resources and I've seen the same mistakes get repeated over and over again. I've also seen applicants get frustrated when delays (sometimes our fault, sometimes theirs) cause the process to drag out and impact project timelines. On the agency side, I've seen how the demand to manage heavy workloads while administering detailed procedural requirements can lead to burnout. This is especially true when staff don't feel like the procedures are having much of a real world impact.
My hope is that by serving as an online "town hall" for permitting issues, this forum can help improve the situation for everyone. The more we can cultivate open and robust conversation on any issue facing society, the better off we all become, and government permitting programs are no exception to this. For applicants, I want this forum to serve as a place where you can come to ask "dumb" questions about permitting requirements, get input from others who have been in similar situations, and be relieved of any notion that government permit programs are a "black box" beyond your understanding (we're people, just like you!). For permitting professionals, I want this forum to serve as a place where you can compare notes with others regarding your experiences with different agencies and share invaluable "lessons learned" you've gathered throughout your career. For agency staff, I want this forum to be an opportunity for you to really make a difference - not only within your current sphere of influence, but outside of it as well. By engaging in open dialog on issues involving other agency practices, and letting your thoughts and ideas be known, you can improve the process for everyone.
Thank you for your interest in this forum! I look forward to seeing your questions and perspectives on permitting issues. If you have any questions or comments for me, please don't hesitate to reach out. You can get my attention by mentioning my name (using "@Eric") in any post or by starting a private conversation with me through my profile.
