Does the community understand your project?

We make that happen every day.

About Us

Our clients choose us for one simple reason: We specialize in environmental communication. At ETC, we understand industrial and municipal operations and the methods used to manage and control pollution. More than that, we know how to communicate with the public. We have helped communities understand our clients’ industrial operation and public utility projects, including sewer, water, natural gas, and electricity. We fill communication gaps with messages that are straight and true, simply put, and easy to understand.

Established in 1994, ETC has served clients throughout the Midwest for more than 20 years. The company is certified as a woman-owned small business enterprise (WBE/SBE) by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Ohio EDGE, the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati, and the City of Toledo.

Key Staff

Pat Esposito
CEO

Bethany Dale, APR
President

Kate Jeffries
Project Manager/Graphic Designer

Linda Palacios, APR
Senior Communication Specialist

Team Members

Rich Burger
Barbara Gamstetter
Mark Kron
Kathy Rahtz
Jay Schmid

Capabilities

We specialize in helping build and strengthen client relationships with their customers and community. Here are just some of the services we offer:

Community Impact Assessments

Stakeholder and community resource identification and research
Historic research
Research of active and/or planned projects in surrounding area
Long-term and short-term community impact evaluation
Impact mitigation recommendations
Technical writing
Photography

Stakeholder Outreach and Customer Service

Public involvement liaison
Fact sheets, brochures, booklets, and annual reports
Post cards, letters, and other mailers
Infographics
Copy and graphics for websites, blog posts, and newsletters
Dedicated hotlines and emails
Access agreements
Public opinion surveys
Video scripts
Door-to-door visits and door hangers

Public Meetings

Meeting planning and coordination
Talking points
PowerPoint presentations
Mailing lists
Letters and fact sheets
Banner stands, posters, enlarged maps, and other displays

PR Strategy and Plan Development

Public education campaigns
Public opinion research (focus groups, stakeholder interviews, surveys)
Message development
Talking points
Plan implementation
Evaluation

Media Relations

Press releases
Holding statements
Interview preparation
Media coverage tracking

Crisis and Issue Management

Major utility projects, including pipeline and tunnel construction and water and waste water management
Projects involving specific environmental issues such as groundwater contamination, air emissions, and nuisance odors

We have communication experience in the following areas:

Industrial Operations

Consent decrees
Legacy issues
Groundwater contamination
Vapor intrusion
Odors
Air emissions
Risk management
Hazardous materials
Soil contamination

Municipal Water Systems

Water main replacement
Water main rehabilitation
Treatment

Roads and Highways

Sewer Systems

Consent decrees
Combined sewer overflows (CSOs)
Sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs)
Tunnel construction
Collection systems
Wastewater treatment plants
Green infrastructure (GI)
Chemically enhanced high-rate treatment facilities

Energy Operations

Natural gas
Electric
Coal-fired power generation

Brownfield Redevelopment

Work Samples

CLIENT: The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati

PROJECT: "Do Your Part Cincinnati" public awareness campaign

DELIVERABLES:

Campaign strategy
Collaboration on interactive website, informational video, computer game, and project-dedicated blog
Copy and graphics for website and blog
Graphic design for direct mailer with magnet, multiple giveaways, and project hand-outs
Event coordination and staffing

CLIENT: Duke Energy

PROJECT: Central Corridor Gas Pipeline Extension Project

DELIVERABLES:

Strategic communication planning and consulting
Dedicated hotline and email customer service
Public comment database creation and maintenance
Media support
Public meeting planning
Graphic design and copywriting for project fact sheet, infographics, and 40-page Q&A booklet

CLIENT: The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District

PROJECTS: Storage tunnels, green infrastructure, relief sewers, regulators, high-rate treatment facility, and pump stations

DELIVERABLES: Community impact assessment reports and community outreach, including:

Identification and research of stakeholders, historic places, and active and/or planned area projects
Long-term and short-term community impact evaluation and mitigation recommendations
Fact sheets, banner stand displays, and PowerPoint presentations

CLIENT: AK Steel

PROJECT: Consent order remediation

DELIVERABLES:

Public involvement plan
Public involvement coordinator
Public information repository
Access agreements
Fact sheets (20+)
Toll-free hotline
Mailing list
Public meeting support

CLIENT: The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati

PROJECTS: Sewer replacements

DELIVERABLES: Construction customer service, including:

Project fact sheets, customer letters, and door hangers
Field visits to identify impacts on residents and businesses
Photography to document construction progress, impacts, and restoration
Door-to-door visits to provide customers project updates
Community liaison to address customer concerns

CLIENT: City of Piqua

PROJECT: Source Water/Stormwater Education Program

DELIVERABLES:

Three project fact sheets
- Targeted to different audiences, including one individualized for each recipient
- Each covering one specific issue (agricultural runoff, urban runoff, and a voluntary buffer program)
PowerPoint presentation