Evergreen did not directly involve neighborhood organizations in the process of deciding which community engagement consulting firm to hire. Evergreen drafted a Community Outreach Plan based on feedback from members of the public and from regulatory agencies in spring of 2020. Evergreen also researched firms that had a successful engagement history on complex environmental sites nearby, including the Lower Darby Creek Superfund Site. Evergreen selected the firm that it believed was most qualified to assist in carrying out the Community Outreach Plan and further develop and manage future outreach and engagement efforts. Hummingbird Firm was identified as the most qualified for several reasons. These include Hummingbird Firm’s:
- Extensive experience working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, specifically on environmental cleanup projects
- Combination of technical expertise, legal background, and environmental science and engineering backgrounds
- Unbiased third-party position which is often effective in resolving issues and effectively addressing the concerns of those involved and/or impacted
- Experience working with nearby communities
- Extensive experience working on contaminated waste sites around the country and supporting communities at these sites through the design and implementation of public outreach and engagement programs
- Experience working with residents in contaminated communities to identify and understand their issues of concern regarding human health and the environment and developing information and risk communication programs designed to respond to these needs.