Public Technology Inc. report helps Y2K plans

Public Technology Inc. last week released a report to help local governments plan for Year 2000-related environmental problems.

The white paper, "Y2K and the Environment: The Challenge for Local Officials," discusses possible environmental effects associated with the Year 2000 date change problem in myriad areas, including public education, waste and wastewater, contingency planning and hazardous facilities. The report also provides models for local government preparedness efforts.

PTI is the technology arm of the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties and the International City/County Management Association.

The report addresses issues not previously covered regarding the Year 2000 bug, such as what people should do if their sewers back up or there are problems with drinking water, said Ronda Mosley-Rovi, director of environmental programs at PTI.

"There was a lot of conversation about here about telecommunications and public safety, but not a lot about the impact on the environment," Mosley-Rovi said. "And there's a real need for documentation from the environmental [standpoint]."

The report provides a list of information resources on the Year 2000 bug and the environment. It can be obtained by contacting the PTI Publications Center at (800) PTI-8976.

The report is not yet available on the World Wide Web, but further information can be found at www.pti.org.