Environmental crises make big news. The litany of catastrophes that made it to the top of the network newscasts in the 1970s and 1980s is long: Three Mile Island, Love Canal, Bhopal, Chernoble, the Exxon Valdez, to name a few.¹ Attorneys involved in environmental issues are often confronted with crisis situations—an accidental oil spill, a chemical release, employee misconduct, and so on. How news of these crises is communicated to the public can affect not necessarily the outcome of courtroom battles, but assuredly the public's perception of the company's goodwill and perhaps its ability to remain in business. But how and what to inform the public after a crisis occurs frequently throw a company into turmoil, with lawyers and public relations professionals vehemently disagreeing about what to say, what to do, and how to do it.

This Dialogue discusses how environmental attorneys can work with top-level management, communications professionals, and employees to put a crisis management program in place before a crisis occurs. It lists the steps to take to set up such a program and discusses the value of doing so. It also presents a case study, demonstrating how some of the media tips discussed in a recent dialogue² can be used in a crisis management program.