Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Started with TOSC

New communities often have a lot of questions about TOSC and what to expect when they start to work with us. This step-by-step guide explains how we learn about new communities and the things we do to get to know their concerns and develop a work plan.

Step 1. We hear about a new community.

We have three main ways we learn about communities that would like our assistance:

  • A person from the EPA or a state agency refers a community to us.
  • A community member learns about us through our brochure or website and calls our hotline number (1-800-653-6110).
  • We read about a community in a newspaper and call them to see if we can help.

Step 2. We start to get to know a community and learn about their concerns.

The first time few times we talk with a community member, our focus is on learning about the community's questions and concerns and thinking about ways we might be able to help. Below, is a table of some of the questions we might ask during the first couple of conversations and why we ask them.

Some of the questions we often ask. Why we ask these questions.
  • Where are you located?

As the Western Region TOSC program, we serve communities in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Micronesia, Marianas Islands, Guam, and Samoa. These are the states and territories within US Environmental Protection Agency Regions 9 and 10. We can refer communities in other areas to other TOSC programs around the country.
  • What is your primary concern?
  • How close is your community to the contamination?
  • Does the site have a special designation? (For example, is it a Superfund site?)
  • Is there a particular chemical you are concerned about?
 These questions help us start to understand your concerns and what happened to create them.
  • What do you hope TOSC can help you with?
 This is the key question -- later on we may suggest things we can do to help but we start by asking you what you are hoping for.
  • Is there anything coming up that makes time a critical issue?

Often a community group will call TOSC because they've just received a long technical report or there is a meeting coming up. We like to know the timeframe so we can factor that into how we help.
  • Has the community organized into a neighborhood group or association?
 TOSC works best with communities that have organized into a group and have a group leader. This gives us a contact person and a forum to meet with community members.
  • Is your neighborhood a low-income or minority community?
  • Has the community group received a grant or other types of technical assistance from another organization?
 TOSC works with all types of communities but has a priority of working with disadvantaged communities who do not have other resources.
  • Is there anyone else we should talk with?
 Sometimes a community group will have worked with regulators or others who are familiar with the site. They can often provide additional information that will help TOSC understand the issues.
  • Do you have any questions about TOSC?
 We're glad to answer any questions you have about us and the way we work.

Step 3. We talk about the new community at a staff meeting.

After we've started to learn about your community and its concerns, our staff will meet and talk about ways we might help. We consider whether your community will be a good fit for us -- for example, do we have the expertise to help with your questions or would it be better to refer you to a different technical assistance provider? We will also often contact other people who are familiar with the site -- the more we can learn the better.

After this discussion we'll call you back. If it looks like we can help, we will set up a time to visit -- for example we may be able to come to your next community group meeting.

Step 4. We attend a first meeting with the community group.

This meeting is our first chance to start getting to know each other in person. We can make a presentation on TOSC, describe our background, and the ways we may be able to help your community. Community members can tell us more about their issues and concerns. By the end of the meeting we hope to develop a work plan of what TOSC will do to help the community.

Step 5. We decide on a work plan and write a Letter of Agreement.

When TOSC staff return to Oregon State, we will finalize a work plan and write up a formal letter with the list of tasks that TOSC will carry out for the community. This letter will be signed and mailed to the community leader who will review, sign, and return it. Click here for an example of a Letter of Agreement (in a pdf format, you need the free software program Adobe Acrobat Reader to open it). The formal letter helps us to have clear objectives to help guide our work. New tasks can always be added at a later date.

Step 6. Work begins!

Link to more information about working with us --.