Our Approach
Straughan provided public outreach services to support statewide Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) initiatives. SHA’s TMDL Team goal was to identify, quantify, analyze, and ultimately reduce the number of pollutants that originate from SHA-owned facilities and enter into local waterways and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. Straughan’s role was to provide information to the general public, as well as specific individuals and stakeholders groups, about MDOT SHA’s Chesapeake Bay and Local Waterway Restoration overall initiative, and the individual projects that are a part of it.
Straughan identified potentially impacted property owners using GIS and developed a database to manage property owner information. We created and disseminated informational letters to inform property owners of the Chesapeake Bay and Local Waterway Restoration initiative and upcoming program projects in their area. We also developed additional informational products such as brochures and door hangers that clarified and promoted the program, upcoming projects, and details for finding additional information.
Straughan assisted in developing the layout and format of the associated webpages and prepared informational content for inclusion on the webpages, including descriptions, mapping, and graphics of the strategies that were being implemented by the TMDL Team. Throughout the project, Straughan was a liaison between the SHA Headquarters Staff and staff in 11 District offices, located in the urban/suburban counties where projects are planned.
