Legislation and public pressure have led federal agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Agriculture to involve the public in a wide range of environmental decisions, from how to clean up Superfund sites to how to manage federal forest land. Does this involvement tend to improve or -- as some critics have argued -- impair the quality of agencies' decisions?
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DECISIONMAKING, new from the National Research Council, examines this question and outlines steps agencies can take to increase the likelihood that participation will have positive effects. The report will be released at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 22.
Reporters can obtain copies by contacting the Office of News and Public Information, tel. 202-334-2138 or e-mail news@nas.edu. Advance copies will be available to reporters only starting at 3 p.m. EDT on Thursday, Aug. 21. THE REPORT IS EMBARGOED AND NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE BEFORE 11 A.M. EDT ON FRIDAY, AUG. 22.