Environmentalists (not entirely the same as environmental professionals, but with significant common interests) recently learned that their program for reform was dead. This perhaps startling news came in late 2004 via an essay, “The Death of Environmentalism,” by Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus.1 Not surprisingly, the message was not universally accepted, and some leading environmentalists reacted quite defensively.

Wind turbines, biodiesel vehicles, and a rainfall simulator were displayed in the shadow of the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Under a large white tent, students from across the country demonstrated new product designs in areas including energy, the built environment, agriculture, ecosystems, transportation, materials and chemicals, information resources, and water.

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Duck Creek watershed, a small watershed in east-central Texas, experienced an influx of broiler growing operations in the later half of the 1990s. Preliminary results indicated that year 2000 levels of broiler litter land application do not pose a water quality concern but that a significant expansion of broiler production would more than double ambient phosphorus loads in the watershed. Environmental and economic modeling were used to assess the effects of phosphorus control measures designed to proactively mitigate the environmental impacts from further broiler industry expansion. Results of best management practice (BMP) simulations indicate that ambient phosphorus loads from broiler litter can be reduced by reducing the rate of litter application, by hauling off litter, by adding phytase to broiler feed, and by amending broiler litter with aluminum sulfate (alum). Reduced-rate scenarios were substantially more cost-effective than haul-off scenarios. Simulations of the phytase and alum BMPs produced net economic benefits in addition to reducing phosphorus loads. Model results thus indicated that relatively low-cost BMP options or ones yielding net monetary benefits (e.g., phytase and alum) would protect water quality in Duck Creek in the event of a low, moderate, or even a very significant expansion of the regional broiler industry. Subsequent to this research, the broiler integrator conducted field trials that confirmed the economic benefits of phytase but not alum. Alum addition did not produce the expected economic benefits, primarily because of the regional climate, which differed from that assumed in the analysis.

Elemental mercury is put to magico-religious uses, most problematically the sprinkling of mercury on floors of homes in Caribbean and Latino communities. Indoor mercury spills are persistent and release toxic levels of mercury vapor over long periods of time. Surveys in these communities have demonstrated widespread and large-scale mercury sales for ritualistic use, elevated mercury vapor levels in public hallways, increased amounts of mercury in wastewater, and elevated urine mercury levels in Latino children. Yet no clear connection has been drawn between ritualistic mercury use and these elevated levels, nor has any pathology been associated with such use. Social, political, and economic factors have acted to preclude advocacy for these affected communities, whose members are largely unaware of their mercury exposure (frequently secondhand) and of its adverse health effects. Without the political mandate to act, environmental agencies have not allocated the resources necessary for environmental professionals to assess and respond to this latent environmental health disaster. Steps to investigate and respond to this impending public health emergency are suggested, as presently there is no coordinated plan for assessing and remediating the tens of thousands of dwellings around the country likely to be contaminated with actionable levels of mercury vapor.

Risk is generally defined as the probability of the occurrence of an event multiplied by the consequences, should the event occur. On brownfield projects, key risk areas include retroactive cleanup liability, regulatory compliance and permit approvals, and lender concerns about return on investment. These risks can generally be classified as inevitable, unlikely, or minimized/avoidable if managed properly. Contamination of environmental media such as soil, groundwater and surface water, and sediment has traditionally been the focus of environmental assessments of properties being considered for redevelopment. Significant costs and liabilities may also be associated with contaminated structures, hazardous building materials, residual wastes within the building system, and physical assets such as production equipment that is not part of the building system. Over the years, processes to assess and clean up contamination of environmental media have been developed. The American Society for Testing and Materials has developed standards of practice for screening property transactions and for conducting Phase I environmental site assessments and Phase II environmental site investigations. Most states have also developed programs and standards that address soil, sediment, and groundwater cleanup. While these programs and protocols have helped to facilitate the reuse of sites with contaminated environmental media, they do not comprehensively address the issues associated with wastes and contamination within the building environment. Conditions within the building environment must also be quantified before associated risks can be understood. The objective of this article is twofold. The first portion examines risk areas common to most brownfield projects where major structures are present. Next, a process of due diligence called the Building Decommissioning Assessment (BDA) is introduced. Developed for clients in the manufacturing sector, the BDA process defines a standard approach for conducting appropriate inquiry into building systems prior to redevelopment and reuse. The BDA complements, and in many cases can be performed in conjunction with, other pre-development investigations, including Phase I and II environmental site assessments, asbestos surveys, mold assessments, and property condition assessments. When applied properly, the six steps of the BDA yield information essential to quantifying risks associated with structures at brownfield sites. The second portion of the article examines two case studies where the BDA process has been implemented and, as a result, has revealed previously unknown environmental conditions, limited the liability of both the owner and financier of the property, and helped ensure compliance with applicable environmental programs.

The study proposes a framework and methodology for investigating the environmental justice implications of the Eastern Wilderness Act (Public Law 93-622) in the context of wilderness non-use values. Census block groups and wilderness areas in the north Georgia portion of the southern Appalachians were mapped using geographic information systems, and the straight-line distances from the census block group centroids to their nearest wilderness area centroid were calculated. These distances were then analyzed as a dependent variable, along with socioeconomic independent variables, using multiple regression analysis (n = 718, p < .05). Results identified two groups living near north Georgia wilderness areas: (1) a white, low-income population and (2) a retired, higher-income population. Additionally, the area may be attracting second, or vacation, homeowners. There is not a strong minority presence near these wilderness areas. Implications of the area as retirement and vacation destinations are discussed in the context of possible effects on the low-income white population. Implications for minorities not living near wilderness areas are also addressed.

Environmental Politics and Policy, 6th Edition. Walter A. Rosenbaum. 2005. CQ Press, Washington, DC. 366 pp. $44.95 paperback.

The Sixth Edition of Walter A. Rosenbaum's much-used volume is a necessary update for several reasons, not the least of which is the insight provided throughout on the environmental policy impacts of the G. W. Bush administration. Continuing changes in environmental indicators, the effects (or lack thereof) of public opinion on environmental policies, and the emergence of new issues as we learn more about our effects upon the environment justify this important update. In all cases, Rosenbaum, Professor Emeritus at the University of Florida and Visiting Professor at the University of Michigan, has done a masterful job at keeping the older material intact while bringing in the new.

Common Waters, Diverging Streams: Linking Institutions and Water Management in Arizona, California, and Colorado. W. Blomquist, E. Schlager, and T. Heikkila. 2004. Resources for the Future, Washington, DC. 205 pp. $70 hardcover, $30.95 paperback.

Today, the subject of water dominates the news more and more. It is an environmental issue, but it is as well a political, economic, and social issue.

Uneasy Alchemy: Citizens and Experts in Louisiana's Chemical Corridor Disputes. Barbara L. Allen. 2003. The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. 224 pp. $55 cloth, $22 paperback.

Earth Day 1970 is generally recognized as the beginning of the modern environmental movement in the US. Of the many issues that have emerged since then, one of the most complex and polarizing is what has become known as “environmental justice,” the belief that a disproportionate percentage of environmental risk is borne by persons with little or no political power, mostly minority and low-income groups.

Acid Rain Science and Politics in Japan: A History of Knowledge and Action toward Sustainability. K. E. Wilkening. 2004. The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. 328 pp. $25 paperback.

Ken Wilkening's book offers a substantive and compelling read for multiple audiences. Wilkening's writing—informed by his long and deep interest in Japan, its culture, and its people—offers the reader an in-depth perspective on the history of science and the development of a nation's capacity to do science. Wilkening's analytical framework renders an exquisite model for the astute political scientist who seeks to understand the relationship between science and politics beyond the Japanese context that Wilkening's in-depth study so richly describes. This manuscript, abundant in background on the history of relationships between scientists and the Japanese policy-making community, is recommended reading for members of the diplomatic and scientific community engaged in any way with Japan, Korea, China, Canada, and the United States in a collective effort to address and mitigate transboundary pollution problems.

Computer-Based Environmental Management. R. Seppelt. 2003. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 300 pp. $110 hardcover.

Robert Costanza, author of the Foreword in the book, indicates that he intends “to use the book to make researchers” in his “Institute fully conversant with the theory and latest applications….” Costanza, clearly enamored of the work of one of his former students, must have limited his reading to the equations. Midway through the first chapter, I found that I was editing grammar, spelling, and other problems; I grew so frustrated after the first couple of pages that I resorted to use of red pen. For example:

Five Billion Years of Global Change: A History of the Land. Denis Wood. 2004. The Guilford Press, New York. 335 pp. $19.95 paperback.

Simply stated, this book presents a snapshot of five billion years of the earth's history. It begins with the Big Bang and proceeds to the present day, outlining key historical events in the formation and transformation of our planet (i.e., creation of the solar system, plate tectonics, rise of life on earth, early humans, etc.).

GIS: A Short Introduction. N. Schuurman. 2004. Blackwell Publishing, Williston, VT. 169 pp. $22.95 paperback.

The technological revolution has changed our world, and the evolution of computer technology continues to redefine the landscape. In terms of computerized mapping of multidisciplinary fields of study, Professor Nadine Schuurman presents overwhelming scientific evidence of the indispensability of geographic information systems (GIS).

Contributors.