Ombudsman

Each California Environmental Protection Agency regional office has designated an ombudsman as a single point of contact to work with applicants and the public to clarify permit requirements and resolve regulatory conflicts.

The Lahontan Regional Board’s Ombudsman is:

The ombudsman is not an advocate and does not argue for or against a particular point of view, but may present a view that may not have been clearly heard or understood. However, the ombudsman serves as an advocate within the organization to prompt staff to be responsive to the public and its concerns. When addressing public concerns, the ombudsman should explain processes and requirements so that “customers” become more knowledgeable about how to comply. In turn, compliance is furthered and complaints are reduced.

The day-to-day activities of an ombudsmen places them in a good position to identify and implement measures which could assist in communicating more clearly with stakeholders, achieving compliance and preventing complaints.