The public engagement strategies and tools developed will depend on a project’s type, complexity, context, and the level of involvement required. The most effective public engagement strategies consider the project’s objectives, phase of development and the targeted audiences’ needs. No single method will be effective in communicating with all parties. A combination of approaches may be needed to effectively engage the broad range of stakeholders and the public.  Prior to developing public involvement materials for NMDOT, consult with NMDOT’s NEPA environmental and public engagement staff to determine the best communication strategies and tools to use.

Throughout the guidance documents, you will see these words intentionally used interchangeably. NEPA identifies Public Involvement as the necessary process to include the community in project planning. In modern practice, however, practitioners have adopted Public Engagement as the new standard language. This is because engagement implies active, meaningful, and ongoing participation as opposed to more passive project involvement or outreach.