Objectives for Week Fifteen Discuss Environmental Federalism Discuss Environmental Federalism Brownfields Policy Brownfields Policy Brief Review of Course Brief Review of Course Course Evaluations Course Evaluations

Growing Role of State Government in Environmental Policy Increase in spending, staff, and responsibility Increase in spending, staff, and responsibility One source -- $2 billion in 1986 to $10 billon in 1996; another source thought it was over $40 billion today One source -- $2 billion in 1986 to $10 billon in 1996; another source thought it was over $40 billion today 60 percent increase in staff 60 percent increase in staff +90 percent of environmental data gathered by states +90 percent of environmental data gathered by states How can we explain such trends? How can we explain such trends? Should we be surprised that states have become more active in this policy area? Should we be surprised that states have become more active in this policy area?

Why We Might Not Expect State Activity in Environmental Policy Interstate competition Interstate competition Political obstacles Political obstacles Complexity of determining cause & liability Complexity of determining cause & liability Not a traditional policy area Not a traditional policy area

Trends in IGRs and Environmental Policy 1970s & 80s = enhanced federal regulatory role 1970s & 80s = enhanced federal regulatory role Voluntary activity Voluntary activity Federal mandates Federal mandates Rising enforcement costs to states Rising enforcement costs to states Inconsistency in oversight of state programs and in state rule-making role Inconsistency in oversight of state programs and in state rule-making role Recent years, greater support for state discretion Recent years, greater support for state discretion "The States and USEPA are committed to a partnership to build locally and nationally accessible, cohesive, and coherent environmental information systems that will ensure that both the public and regulators have access to the information needed to document environmental performance, understand environmental conditions, and make sound decisions that ensure environmental protection." "The States and USEPA are committed to a partnership to build locally and nationally accessible, cohesive, and coherent environmental information systems that will ensure that both the public and regulators have access to the information needed to document environmental performance, understand environmental conditions, and make sound decisions that ensure environmental protection." -Denise Scherble -Denise Scherble

Brownfields Policy Abandoned, idled, or under used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination Abandoned, idled, or under used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination Lower liability stakes Lower liability stakes Provide incentives for redevelopment Provide incentives for redevelopment Lower contamination thresholds for development purposes Lower contamination thresholds for development purposes New orientation for environmental policy New orientation for environmental policy Different set of organizational incentives and values Different set of organizational incentives and values Difficulty of achieving intergovernmental cooperation and coordination at times Difficulty of achieving intergovernmental cooperation and coordination at times Emerging Issues Emerging Issues Area-wide projects Area-wide projects When do you need to use public dollars ? When do you need to use public dollars ? How can you incorporate citizens in a meaningful way? How can you incorporate citizens in a meaningful way?

Key Course Concepts Fluidity of the federal balance of power Fluidity of the federal balance of power Access points in decentralized system Access points in decentralized system Economic and demographic constraints on subnational government policy-making Economic and demographic constraints on subnational government policy-making Scope of conflict Scope of conflict Competition, adaptation, learning Competition, adaptation, learning Assigning policy responsibility Assigning policy responsibility Explaining differences and similarities in policy- making activity across subnational government Explaining differences and similarities in policy- making activity across subnational government