Overview

Expanded to cover the Bush administration and the beginnings of the Clinton administration, this exploration of one of the most critical problems of modern government and democratic politics is now more timely than ever. Through careful analysis of representative cases, it evaluates the Environmental Protection Agency's performance over its entire existence, uncovers the mistaken premises that have clouded and distorted debate about environmental policy, and shows how public officials might better preserve and promote constitutional democracy.

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9780195086737

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Reviews

"""A good complement to an environmental law text--illustrates legislative and administrative aspects of regulatory schemes.""--Denise Fort, University of New Mexico ""I have adopted this for my seminar on organizational analysis and public policy. It is thorough and it takes a very useful approach to the study of public policy design and implementation.""--Kenneth Ruscio, Washington B. Lee University ""Provides a long overdue examination of the problems facing the EPA in its requirement of fulfilling Congressional directives. A useful illustration not only of EPA's methodology, but of general difficulties facing an administrative agency in complying with the laws in an appropriate manner.""--Victor Flatt, University of Washington Praise for the original edition: ""One of the book's most impressive features is the extraordinarily detailed rendition of the five cases....One has the sense of real battles fought out among real people. It is a flesh-and-blood world, where human stakes and motivations matter.""--Science ""A richly rewarding study of the most important issues faced by the EPA. It also provides a fascinating inside look at the political history of the agency...[and] will help change the way we think about environmental regulation.""--Joseph L. Sax, University of California, Berkeley ""An important and challenging book examining America's efforts to invent a governmental institution to carry out the vast task of environmental protection. It raises fundamental questions about the role and capacity of government in a technological democracy using a series of fascinating and carefully documented case studies. The book explores the process by which central questions of values are lost in the intricate politics and technical complexity of regulatory policy making. The EPA: Asking the Wrong Questions will challenge the public managers to rethink the policy process and their own role as public servants.""--Jonathan Lash, Secretary, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources ""While not slighting the evident political struggle, the authors' emphasis upon public education as a prime administrative responsibility adds a welcome note of respect for evidence and feasibility, including the possibility that governmental efforts may be counterproductive, to the debate over environmental policy.""--Aaron Wildavsky, Georgetown University Law Center ""A study of administrative and, more broadly, democratic deliberation. As such it joins the work of Bessette, Maass, Mansbridge, Muir, Tulis, and others in defining an important new agenda for research on public policy making....To the extent that this path-breaking study succeeds in directing greater research attention to the processes and conditions of effective deliberation, Landy, Roberts and Thomas will have performed an enormous service.""--American Political Science Review ""Privileged access to senior EPA officials and candid interviews have provided an insider's view, rich with details of conflict.""--Choice ""The case studies are informative and give a broad look at EPA's activities. The ample documentation makes these studies useful as research tools in the topic areas addressed. Technical issues are handled deftly, allowing the reader to appreciate the complexity of the problems faced by the agency.""--Ecology Law Quarterly ""The carefully researched and detailed case studies...provide an insightful look at the internal workings of the EPA....An excellent book. I highly recommend it for both undergraduate and graduate classes interested in environmental policy making and administration. It is well researched and well written. Furthermore, its ideas are provocative and go to the heart of why environmental decision making is such a difficult process.""--Natural Resources & Environmental Administration"

Two of the book's topics are of particular interest to health professionals: the use of cancer epidemiology in the formulation of public health and environmental protection policy and the connection between environmental pollution and health. BMJ Volume 310 January 1995

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