Lenny Siegel, executive director of the Center for Public Environmental Oversight, will discuss “Beyond Community Engagement: Facilitating Public Involvement in Environmental Policy and Technical Decisions” on Feb. 21 at a public forum presented by the Civic Engagement and Public Policy research initiative (CEPP).

The presentation will take place from noon to 2 p.m. in 9 Norton Hall, North Campus. All members of the UB and broader Western New York communities are welcome.The event is free, but an RSVP for lunch is requested.

In his talk, Siegel will describe his work on such state and federal advisory groups as the Interstate Technology Regulatory Council and the National Research Council, and lead a discussion of the need to prepare and fund more people to play such roles in bridging government, technical and stakeholder communities.

The Center for Public Environmental Oversight (CPEO) promotes and facilitates public participation in the oversight of environmental activities including, but not limited to, the remediation of federal facilities, private “Superfund” sites and brownfields. CPEO has its roots in community activism and provides support for public advocacy.

UB’s Ecosystem Restoration through Interdisciplinary Exchange (ERIE) program is co-sponsoring the presentation with CEPP.