LSPA Continuing Education Online Course

Risk Communication and PFAS: Effective Messaging in the Face of Uncertainty

Registration: Registration must take place during business hours (8 am to 6 pm Mon. - Fri.). Within 24 hours of registration, the LSPA will provide your registration information via email.  
Availability: Once you have your login information, the course may be accessed at any time for 30 days through a web browser. At the end of 30 days, your access is terminated. No extensions will be offered. 
Technology: The course may be accessed using a computer, tablet or mobile device. All you need is a web browser and access to the Internet. Preferred browsers include: Google Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox. Please note: Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) is not a supported browser. 
Pricing: Member $75 | Non-Member $225
Course Presenter: Lisa McIntosh, Senior Technical Manager and Principal, Woodard & Curran

View Presenter Biography

This course has been approved by the LSP Board of Registration for 1.0 Technical LSP credit (#1720). This presentation was first made at the LSPA's January 21, 2021 Membership Meeting. Depending on your LSP renewal date, if you received credit then, you may be unable to receive credit for taking this course. Refer to 309 CMR 3.09(2)(c).

Course Description: 
Public communication is a key requirement of the MCP regulations, with a broad scope ranging from simple notification letters for municipal officials to active community participation via a public involvement plan. The ability to communicate potential risk of harm to human health and the environment is a vital skill to facilitate stakeholder participation and decision-making, and to ensure project success. Risk communication at sites with emerging contaminants, like PFAS, is particularly challenging when dealing with both science and regulations that are rapidly evolving and where information is often conflicting, making it difficult to establish community trust and promoting meaningful stakeholder engagement.

This one-hour presentation was produced as part of Ms. McIntosh's involvement with the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) PFAS and Risk Communication Training Teams. The meeting will help LSPs to:

  • Understand risk communication basics and those challenges unique to PFAS,
  • Gain knowledge of risk communication planning best practices that will assist in creating a robust outreach strategy, and
  • Learn about different tools available to assist in crafting and conveying messages.

Registration Process:
Once you complete your registration form for the course, you will receive three emails from the LSPA:

  1. Your registration confirmation.
  2. A copy of your invoice which acts as a paid receipt.
  3. An email containing your log-in information and link to directly access the online course. Once this email is sent, you will have 30 days to complete the course. Access to the course and the quiz will automatically expire in 30 days. There will be no extensions or exceptions. 

Please note: To receive your CEU, you must successfully complete the quiz and log out of the Learning Management System.

If you have any questions, please email Kristi Lefebvre.  

 Please click here to review the LSPA Course Cancellation Policy.