ABSTRACT
Communication is an essential and pervasive element of achieving environmental compliance. Not only must organizations communicate within themselves to inform employees about what must be done to ensure compliance, but they must also communicate with government agencies. Failing to communicate adequately with employees can result in failure to achieve compliance, while failing to communicate adequately with the government can result in misunderstandings and enforcement liability. In the worst cases, poor communication can become a basis for criminal liability. Although communicating takes effort, environmental professionals can greatly improve their skills by focusing on the purpose behind the various types of communication and becoming sensitive to the compliance issues such communica tions entail.
