Communities historically have had a difficult time understanding the scope and breadth of their brownfield situation. This lack of information has resulted in part from property owner reluctance to reveal contamination potential because of liability fears. Failure to inform creates a debilitating stigma effect, where properties and entire neighborhoods are avoided because of suspected but unknown contamination potential. In this article, I present a method with which communities can address the brownfield information gap while bypassing individual property owner objections by means of a creative combination of existing formal and informal government records. Using assumptions based on the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) official definition of a brownfield, environmental, land use, and property tax information can be collected on an individual property basis. The resulting data will allow communities to develop a more comprehensive brownfields profile that will help reduce the stigma effect of suspected brownfields and further community–wide redevelopment efforts.

Significant controversy surrounds the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in oil and gas extraction in the United States. To address some of these concerns, states are leading the charge by regulating the process. Yet, variations exist in state regulatory approaches, and it is still unclear what drives these differences. Thus, this research applies policy subsystem theory to examine original interview data to determine what may cause these variations in regulations through an examination of Colorado, Wyoming, and Louisiana. This research finds that policy subsystem theory is useful in explaining this variation. In particular, the position of agency staff and privileged stakeholder groups, often industry related, help to explain why Colorado has a much stronger regulatory program than Louisiana. In comparison, Wyoming’s stringent regulations represent the anomaly in this case, but the results of this research suggest that this dominant energy subsystem will likely not be setting any pro-environment trends going forward.

Environmental Practice 16: 102–112 (2014)

Encouraging a more sustainable urban system requires a reexamination of urban development goals and polices to acknowledge the role that cities play in influencing global environmental change. However, sustainability remains a broadly defined concept that has been applied to mean everything from environmental protection and social cohesion to economic growth and neighborhood design. To guide sustainability initiatives and assess progress toward more sustainable development patterns, there is a need to place this concept into a more functional decision-centric context where change in development proposals can be evaluated in a manner more consistent with future as well as present societal needs. To date, sustainability is assessed within the rubric established by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design system or the Sustainable Sites Initiative. These systems, while useful, are ill-suited to the multifaceted, complex relationships that characterize sustainability. In this study, the problem of sustainability assessment was examined within an urban setting by using a method that coupled scenario analysis with spatial multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA). The integration of a spatial MCDA model for sustainable development with scenario planning resulted in an interpretation of sustainability that is more appropriate for local conditions and useful when exploring sustainability's semantic uncertainties, particularly those alternate perspectives that influence future urban patterns.

Environmental Practice 15:133–146 (2013)

The future of the American West depends on sustainable water resource governance. A variety of uncertainties associated with limited freshwater supplies, population growth, land use change, drought, and climate change impacts present substantial challenges. To inform decision making, managers are adopting new techniques such as scenario planning to understand how water resources might change and what practices can support economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Scenario planning can be informed by understanding the normative future preferences of a variety of stakeholders, including decision makers, who influence water governance. This article presents a survey of central Arizona decision makers to understand their visions for a desirable future for the water system in terms of supply, delivery, demand, outflow, and crosscutting activities. Principle components analysis is used to identify patterns underlying responses about preferences for each domain of the system and correlation analysis is used to evaluate associations between themes across the domains. The results reveal two distinct visions for water in central Arizona—one in which water experts and policy makers pursue supply augmentation to serve metropolitan development, and another in which broadened public engagement is used in conjunction with policy tools to reduce water consumption, restore ecosystem services, and limit metropolitan expansion. The results of this survey will inform the development of a set of normative scenarios for use in exploratory modeling and anticipatory governance activities.

Environmental Practice 17: 25–35 (2015)

This report describes the field demonstration of a near-remote sensing method to measure water turbidity over large areas, in a high-resolution, spatial context. Our interdisciplinary method used a novel multispectral imaging sensor deployed by a hand-launched small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS). The measurement of turbidity is a useful indicator of water quality. Current turbidity measurement tools, such as the Secchi disc, are labor-intensive and often limit coverage such that available samples are extrapolated unrealistically when representing large water resources. This handicaps computer models’ ability to predict run-off, and these models produce the best results if supplied with high-resolution, fine time-increment measurements. This first study of the method developed operated the sUAS below 200 m over the surface of a 9.3-ha lake, capturing visible and near-infrared imagery at resolutions of ~0.2 m/pixel and capturing spectral bands matching those captured by the Landsat 4-5 satellites. The study established the spectral sensitivity and spatial coverage of the instrumentation and correlated turbidity estimates against traditional Secchi disc readings taken across the lake. This study also differentiated turbidity contribution from suspended organics vs. suspended sediments. To manage glare, this new technique required strategically positioned sunlight, thus sharing some operational limitations with the Secchi disc method. Plans have been made to extend the technique to be suitable for deeper, clearer lakes. The technique represents an improved monitoring tool for environmental scientists, watershed managers, and civil engineers.

Environmental Practice 18: 18–31 (2016)

To comply with President Bill Clinton’s Executive Order 12898 addressing environmental justice, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working for over two decades to develop consistent indices and screening tools to measure disproportionate impact and identify environmental justice communities. Its efforts have been complicated by methodological problems, divergent interpretations of policy, and concerns about the misuse of such screening tools. This review of recent scholarship and developments in EPA environmental justice policy proposes that instead of a single index of disproportionate impact associated with a single type of environmental justice community, regulatory agencies should aim to produce screening tools that incorporate multiple indices of impact and a diverse typology of environmental justice communities. It argues that adopting such an approach would not only better reflect the environmental justice movement’s emphasis on difference and diversity, but also produce more effective and acceptable screening tools that are less susceptible to misuse.

Environmental Practice 16: 77–86 (2014)

imagine this: the government is proposing that a new wildlife refuge be established in a rural area near your home city. wildlife officials claim that the refuge is needed to protect valuable wetlands in the area and provide needed habit for migratory waterfowl. they note that they have a responsibility to society to protect and preserve these resources for the public and for future generations. local and national supporters praise the proposal for its value in preserving biodiversity and protecting endangered species and ecosystems, but all are not happy with the proposal. one farmer, whose land would be included in the proposed refuge, noted, “my family has farmed this land for nearly 200 years and the government is not going to tell me what i can do with my land.” other landowners feel the same and organize to fight the refuge proposal.

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), one of the most highly visited national parks in the United States, is an important cultural symbol in the San Francisco Bay Area. Traditionally absent groups are expressing a desire to enjoy the benefits associated with outdoor recreation including public lands that may be lesser known to them. Understanding how national parks are used by ethnic minorities is of increasing importance to both the public and the National Park Service. In 2006, the GGNRA commissioned a focus-group study with nearly 100 people of color living in the Bay Area to provide indicators of constraints to park use. While identifying physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of access to nature in parks, many participants expressed frustration with limited physical access, subtle racism, and general exclusion from the culture of parks as reasons why they avoid these public spaces. The results of this study corroborate over four decades of research on park constraints. This article presents results of narratives provided by those who experience constraints and their desire to participate. For national parks to become representative of the people they serve, we suggest the need to mitigate silent exclusion and move toward proactive inclusion both inside and outside the parks. Key considerations include outreach through more intentional communication strategies, multilingual signage, responding to complaints of discrimination, and more representative hiring practices.

Environmental Practice 13:354–369 (2011)

Increasingly, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) are changing the way that scientists and practitioners collect environmental data. Current UASs, however, are largely relegated to collecting data while flying remotely, far away in the air. This article examines two case studies where micro-UASs fly in immediate proximity to the environment, enabling them to collect physical samples and capture sensor data that cannot be obtained at a distance. The first case study presents an aerial water sampler that flies to remote locations and dips a pump into the water to collect samples for lab analysis. The second case study examines a UAS that flies within a meter of crops to accurately measure their height. Each requires different sensors and methods specifically tailored to operating and interacting near the environment. This article evaluates the performance of these systems and also presents preliminary validation that they collect datasets that are compatible with those gathered by existing approaches. Futhermore, it distills some common underlying design and operating principles shared by UASs aimed at working close to the environment. Finally, this article concludes that in spite of numerous pending challenges, UASs that directly interact with the environment will transform the way environmental data is collected.

Environmental Practice 17: 188–200 (2015)

This study employed deductive content analysis how hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, in online versions of elite American newspapers. The media sources The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post were chosen as the best outlets to analyze to gain insight into the print and digital media that influence public opinion in the United States. A total of 349 articles published from 1851 to May 2014 were included in this study. The study instrument was based on previous media framing studies, including those on hydraulic fracturing and climate change communication, in addition to observations of patterns noted by the authors during an initial round of coding in the interest of relevance. This study examined the tone in which media coverage portrays hydraulic fracturing, thereby influencing social perceptions of the practice. Significant findings from the study are (a) hydraulic fracturing is presented by elite news outlets through conflict, responsibility (blame), and environmental concerns; and (b) water pollution was the main concern portrayed in the articles, which presents hydraulic fracturing mostly as a water-related issue while leaving out other important aspects of natural gas extraction.

Environmental Practice 18: 83–93 (2016)

Public participation is commonly advocated for as part of policy responses to climate change. This study examines the prospects for inclusive approaches to climate change adaptation, drawing particularly on studies of long-term climate change adaptation in a coastal region in Bangladesh. It has been suggested that public perception, knowledge, and participation are important goals in the process of formulating response to climate change risks. This study found that local people as well as other stakeholders who participated in the study were more or less familiar with the term “climate change.” However, the participants’ understanding of what the term means and climate change’s causes varied widely. The results also showed that a large number of the participants were uncertain about the solution to the climate change problems they are already experiencing, due to lack of accessible information from different governmental and non-governmental sources. It is notable that, despite being a country with a high level of political commitment to dealing with climate change, supported by plans, programs, and interventions, the people of Bangladesh are largely unaware of these efforts. This study explores the Social Ecological Inventory (SEI) tool as a means of managing the governance system for climate change adaptation in order to explore the public’s perception of, knowledge about, and participation in developing adaptation plans. In this study, we used the SEI tool to systemically map the values, motives, activities, knowledge, and experiences of different actors over time and in different networks in order to prepare the ground for participation in developing climate change adaptation plans by helping identify and select the most appropriate set of actors to work with; build trust between these different actors; and, finally, reach a consensus among actors on how to enhance a region’s sustainability and resilience.

Environmental Practice 18: 32–43 (2016)

Tribal restoration planning, based on indigenous ideas and practices, evolved with the self-determination and self-governance initiatives of tribal governments in the United States. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementation was roughly concurrent with the return of management authority over Indian trust lands to tribes in the 1970s and 1980s. Many, but not all, of the 556 federally recognized tribal governments have assumed responsibility for NEPA planning processes. Other planning processes pursued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs on Indian trust lands and those of the State of Washington for educational trust lands offer significant contrasts; to further delineate these contrasts, the author overlays tribal planning activities with a four-point methodological framework. The tribal restoration planning approach begs the question of how to maintain a dynamic range where human and natural environments are connected in past, present, and future. Tribal resource planning supports ecosystem processes and maintains tribal values at the same time. Today, federal devolution and the effects of previous intervention combine with accelerated processes of decline resulting from global warming and species extinction. The future of Indian trust lands as natural and cultural homelands may depend in large part on the ability of tribes to implement planning strategies that assure continuous restoration. The case of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (hereinafter referred to as “Salish Kootenai”) in Montana offers hope through landscape-level planning strategies applied to restore that cultural and natural landscape.

An estimated 50 tons of mercury (Hg) have been emitted by gold miners in the Bento Gomes river basin, in the municipality of Poconé, Brazil, since the 1980s. Since the mid-l990s, the state agency for environmental protection, FEMA (Fundação Estadual do Meio Ambiente de Mato Grosso), has enforced regulations to reduce Hg emissions to air and water and has also implemented an environmental assessment program. The objectives of this study were to evaluate efforts to reduce emissions of Hg to air and water from nine improved amalgamation centers, and to assess the pollution level in sediment at 25 sites around Poconé. In spite of the fact that retorts were used, results showed large emissions of Hg when burning amalgam, resulting in Hg air concentrations above the limit for occupational air (50 μg/m3) at all centers except one. Keeping washing water in closed systems and dumping residues in specially prepared sites reduced Hg emissions to watercourses. The average Hg concentration of fine sediments (<74 μm) in the Bento Gomes river basin was 104 ng Hg/g dry weight, three to four times higher than the background level; large amounts of Hg-contaminated sediments are re-suspended during the rainy season. In conclusion, present emissions to local watercourses have been efficiently reduced, but the use of retorts in improved amalgamation centers has not adequately reduced Hg emissions to air, which is why the use of Hg remains an occupational and environmental problem.

“evil–doers.” this memorable and provocative characterization of america's terrorist enemy was cast by president george w. bush in a stirring speech to a joint session of congress in september 2001, a few days after the horrific attacks of september 11th. “evil–doers” is a very vivid and negative characterization of a group of people and, not surprisingly, it impassioned the american people. by condemning the “evil–doers” and then issuing the threat to all others that “either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists” (bush, 2001), president bush drew a line in the sand between “us” and “them.” in so doing, he provided a timely and classic example of how the framing of identities and characterizations establishes the boundaries, dimensions, and intensity of a conflict.

Construction activities generate a myriad of negative effects on the environment. ISO 14000, the series of environmental management standards released by the International Organization for Standardization in 1996, has been introduced as a tool that can aid in reducing these impacts. The implementation of these standards is focused on the establishment of an environmental management system (EMS) that can guide an organization toward achieving its own environmental goals. Certification for the ISO 14001 standard has been successfully implemented at an international level, mostly in Europe and Asia. Different types of companies have achieved ISO 14000 certification, including those performing construction work. However, up until 2002, only one construction group has received certification for its subsidiaries. Benefits such as minimization of environmental impacts, marketing opportunities, and cost savings have been identified. Some parties, however, argue about the standards applicability in the US construction industry, stating that ISO 14000 is not economically feasible and that significant or proven environmental benefits cannot be associated with the standards usage. Therefore, the main goal of this article is to analyze ISO 14000 standards and their current status in the US construction industry, identifying advantages and setbacks of the application of this EMS in the organizational structures of US construction firms. The information is based on a literature search and a case study of a construction contracting firm certi- fied for the standards. The article concludes that the positive aspects of certification outweigh the negative aspects and recommends added government support and the combined use of ISO 14000 with other environmental systems and matrices.

The process of brownfield redevelopment often demands higher levels of information than traditional real estate transactions. While much of this information is pertinent to site identification and remediation, additional information is needed to address issues that are important for better public understanding of the process by which brownfields can be made clean and productive. Decision makers within municipal government need more information from developers on the site identification and selection process, how properties are characterized as suitable for redevelopment, and how various redevelopment options are evaluated. Other stakeholder groups, including regulators, lenders, realtors, and the general public, are becoming more involved in the prioritization and acceptance of redevelopment plans. Information is also needed to address growing concerns over envir onmental justice, social equity, and quality of life. This article discusses information needs and public issues in brownfield redevelopment projects with respect to information access, screening and selection of properties, intergovernmental cooperation, public participation, and the evaluation of the impacts and risks of redevelopment alternatives (including the no action alternative). Innovative information technologies help create decision support systems, which include enhanced geographic information systems, site prioritization methods, and training programs. These decision support systems are information rich and technologically advanced, and they have been valuable in providing information to decision makers and the public to evaluate redevelopment options. Such systems have been used in several brownfield redevelopment programs in Michigan, and can provide models for other communities engaged in brownfield redevelopment.

Coastal megadeltas in Asia have emerged rapidly; their megacities are particularly stressed by urbanization and rapid population growth. In the Pearl River Delta, towns in coastal megacities, such as Hong Kong, experience severe land shortage, which has led to the installation of essential infrastructure in flood-prone areas. Floods from the storm surge of two recent storms, Typhoons Hagupit and Koppu in 2008 and 2009, respectively, damaged over 100 properties in the Tai O, Hong Kong. Although projected sea-level rise and frequent storms pose a serious threat for the foreseeable future, flood management is inadequately understood by the various stakeholders in Tai O. Based on interviews of 22 stakeholders related to flood-risk management in Tai O, this article highlights the similarities and differences in the prevailing perceptions of coastal flood management practices. In addition, the report highlights the need for urgent attention so as to establish an integrated coastal flood-risk management strategy that will involve all stakeholders in mitigating the emerging flood vulnerability of the coastal communities.

Environmental Practice 15:201–219 (2013)

Water quality trading is receiving great interest as a potential tool for achieving a watershed's water quality goals at less cost. It appeals to both regulators and watershed stakeholders as a voluntary, businesslike approach attracting a category of sources to the table that regulators have been unable to control using traditional enforcement tools—nonpoint sources. Non-point source pollution is a major source of the water quality problems still needing to be addressed in watersheds throughout the United States. Following the remarkable success of the Acid Rain Program's sulfur dioxide emissions trading system, however, expectations have been raised for all pollution trading systems. To date, water quality trading projects across the US have failed to deliver on those expectations because of the predominance of the “offset” trading model in their program design, which is characterized by significant costs in both time and resources to support trades. In this article, we argue that, although critical differences exist between water quality trading and the “cap and trade” model of the Acid Rain Program, water quality trading programs should consider incorporating certain key design elements that have contributed to the Acid Rain Program's success. We describe Idaho's Lower Boise River water quality trading framework as an example of how this can be done.

Upon its enactment, the United States’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) established a national policy for promoting the protection and enhancement of the human environment. NEPA sets forth procedural requirements for federal agencies to prepare Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) for any major federal actions that may impact the environment. At the core of these environmental documents is the dominant Western worldview of scientific materialism. In many instances, NEPA’s sole reliance on a Western scientific materialist evaluation of environmental impacts fails to consider and incorporate Native American perspectives of, values about, and relationships with the environment. For example, many Native American Tribes perceive the environment through an animistic ontological lens that embodies a sense of stewardship, manifest through a spiritual, umbilical connectedness to the natural world. Thus, Native American perceptions of the environment often clash with the dominant Western culture’s scientific perspectives, especially as they relate to determining environmental impacts. This conflict of cultural worldviews intensifies when compliance with other federal laws is coupled with the NEPA process. This article examines the effects of employing solely a Western scientific perspective in assessing environmental impacts on indigenous communities through the NEPA process and how this can have the unintended consequence of promoting the perpetuation of colonialist attitudes toward Native peoples. It will also discuss how taking into consideration Native American worldviews can offer more affirmative and inclusive environmental practices associated with the NEPA process.

Environmental Practice 17: 36–45 (2015)