Making Environmental Policy

Who speaks for the trees, the water, the soil and the air in American government today? Which agencies confront environmental problems, and how do they set priorities? How are the opposing claims of interest groups evaluated? Why do certain issues capture the public’s attention? In this text, the author combines the hands-on experience of an insider with the analytic rigour of a scholar, to provide an introduction to federal environmental policymaking. A committed environmental advocate, he takes readers from theory to practice, demonstrating how laws and institutions address environmental needs and balance them against other political pressures. Drawing on the academic literature and his own familiarity with current trends and controversies, Fiorino offers a view of the institutional and analytic aspects of environmental policy-making. A chapter on analytic methods describes policy-makers’ attempts to apply objective standards to complex environmental decisions. The book also examines how the law, the courts, political tensions and international environmental agencies have shaped environmental issues. Fiorino grounds his discussion with references to numerous specific cases, including radon, global warming, lead and hazardous wastes.