The technology of living roofs—also known as green roofs, eco-roofs, vegetated roofs, or roof gardens—encompasses a range of products, from intensive rooftop gardens to extensive, highly engineered roofing systems. Living roofs have recently received a lot of attention in North America but have not yet been widely adopted. Prior to their widespread adoption, their benefits need to be proven, weighed against other alternatives, and translated into incentives for construction.

One important result of electric power deregulation in the United States has been a growing potential for small, distributed sources of electrical power that may serve a single home, neighborhood, business, or business complex more efficiently and reliably than centrally located power plants, and at lower cost. The expectation that distributed generation (DG) can provide reliable electrical power more efficiently and less expensively than conventional power plants is complicated, however, by the high levels of air pollution and low efficiency generally associated with the most affordable and accessible DG technologies. Therefore, the prospect of greater reliance on distributed sources of electrical power raises a number of important questions, among them, these: (1) How can a state's energy and environmental regulatory system best encourage the economic success of clean and efficient DG? (2) Exactly which DG technologies are the cleanest and most efficient? (3) What kind of policy is most likely to yield the most favorable level of DG usage in a given state? In answer to these questions, we present the development of DG policy in California as a study in establishing and deepening a network of state agencies, nongovernmental organizations, businesses, and individuals committed to the integration of clean, efficient DG into the state's electric utility system. More specifically, the California Energy Commission, the California Air Resources Board and most local air districts, the California Public Utilities Commission, environmental and professional organizations, DG manufacturers and other businesses, and interested individuals have responded to the rising demand for electricity in the state by advocating clean and efficient DG. Although the many agencies, organizations, and individuals involved in the “clean DG” network have not been overtly identified as such, we argue that administering the currently favored technology-forcing, clean DG policy will require ongoing and pervasive coordination among the members of this nascent network.

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.

Many scholars note the increasing desire of the public to be involved in the policy process. Others observe, however, that public participation in governance is declining. One possible explanation for this is that people do not know the technical and scientific language that is frequently used in these decision processes. Citizens simply lack the information to participate in a meaningful way. This is what is known as the “technical information quandary” (i.e., how citizen desires for increased participation can be balanced against the increasingly technical nature of public policy). Research on public participation suggests membership in voluntary associations or organizations is positively associated with higher levels of technical policy knowledge. Recreation management on the Colorado Plateau provides an excellent opportunity to examine the relationship between membership in voluntary organizations and the level of policy knowledge. In 1998, we surveyed the public living on the Colorado Plateau to ascertain their level of knowledge of technical terms and their level of participation in voluntary organizations. We found that a variety of factors were related to people's membership in these organizations. In particular, our findings indicate that those with higher levels of knowledge were significantly more likely to be members of voluntary organizations and that this knowledge was most likely to come from the organizations. These findings have important implications for environmental managers, as well as for the voluntary organizations themselves.

The joint meeting of the 2nd International Conference on Green and Sustainable Chemistry and the 9th Annual Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference convened in Washington, DC, from June 20 to 24. The conference brought together attendees from over 25 countries. The attendees and speakers discussed current research from throughout the world; academic researchers, industrial representatives, and government agencies were represented, as well as over 100 students.

Natural resource negotiation often involves multiple parties with overlapping interests and issues that can provide opportunities for mutually beneficial solutions. These opportunities can be missed, however, if negotiators are unable to comprehend the facts of a negotiation, understand the interests of other parties, or accurately evaluate the options that increase the size of the negotiation pie. Through structured personal interviews with more than 60 representatives from seven different hydropower negotiations, respondents identified core competencies that help negotiators succeed at accurately comprehending the facts of a negotiation, comprehending the interests of other parties, and fully understanding the available options and alternatives. We categorized those core competencies into three dimensions of negotiation—interpersonal, organizational, and operational.

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.

Data from a 16-year period were used to investigate ground-water quality and its relation to nearby land uses in the Carson Valley area of Douglas County, Nevada. Within 500 m of ground-water wells with increasing nitrate concentrations, properties on septic systems accounted for 40% of the area, whereas agricultural areas accounted for 8.5%. Agricultural lands comprised 18% of the area near wells with stable contamination trends and 40% near wells with decreasing trends, indicating that lands converted from agriculture to nonsewered properties may be related to increases in nitrate concentrations. The mean size of parcels with septic systems near wells with increasing nitrate concentrations was about half (1.1 ha) that of those near wells with stable nitrate concentrations (2.0 ha). For wells with increasing nitrate and dissolved-solids trends, 50 to 55 properties utilized septic systems within 500 m, compared to fewer than 25 properties near stable trends. The number of wells with increasing trends rose from 2 in 1988 to 15 in 2001 for nitrate and from 1 to 14 for dissolved solids, an indication that it takes a minimum of 20 to 30 years before increasing trends can be identified. Geoprocessing tools and Geographic Information System (GIS) methods in this study can be used for efficient interpretation of ground-water contaminant location and trend, relative to surrounding land uses.

Two Swedish road projects were studied to find ways to shorten the time spent in the road planning process. The results indicated that the road projects developed very differently. One planning project developed rather smoothly, while the other received an escalating flood of letters. Concerns about the environment and landscape were present in the majority of these letters, pointing to the importance of involving the expertise of landscape planners or environmentalists in the management of road development projects. This article's conclusion stresses the importance of inviting early submission of viewpoints and of responding to people's questions in order to achieve acceptance of a project; it also stresses the significance of keeping communication open with affected sectors of the public from the very beginning of a project.

Books & resources. To inquire about reviewing one of these books, contact the editorial office at SEM 3127, The Evergreen State College, 2700 Evergreen Pkwy NW, Olympia, WA 98505 (phone) 360-867-5955 (fax) 360-867-5430 (e-mail) [email protected]).

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.

In Israel, the same governmental bodies and environmental organizations appear repeatedly as environmental disputants. Irrespective of the conflict, they usually hold consistent perspectives and positions. This research offers a methodology for identifying values frames and creating stakeholder profiles to assist negotiators and disputants in finding common ground or trade-offs in resolving disputes. The profiles enable stakeholders to couch their interests and arguments in language (or frames) understandable to other stakeholders. They enable interveners to steer discussions toward trade-offs or reframing of issues. The research is based on interviews with 160 stakeholders in nine Israeli environmental disputes at national, regional, and local levels.

Co-management is an innovative approach for managing the natural environment and providing opportunities for outdoor recreation. It combines the efforts of government agencies legally responsible for environmental quality with those of citizens and interest groups using such resources. This article documents the experiences gained from a co-management process involving the Tine River (a pseudonym) corridor in Ontario. The analysis focuses on revealing factors that fostered opportunities and presented barriers to the voluntary nature of the process. Sharing common objectives, the presence and characteristics of a network, and willingness to share information appear to create opportunities for continued involvement. Different perceptions of intent, particularly between nongovernment and government participants, and failure to fulfill commitments, appear to destroy opportunities for involvement by citizens. Implications from this study are particularly relevant to government agencies, which are identified in this particular case as being responsible for creating significant barriers to this new mode of operation through both past and current actions. Recommendations are made for environmental professionals to foster opportunities and limit barriers to working with volunteers in pursuing co-management.

Environmental Practice 7:221–234 (2005)

A sound environmental analysis of plans, policies, programs, and regulations can not only streamline the permit process when a specific project is later proposed, but can also identify long-range cumulative and indirect impacts. Washington State regulations direct early integration of state and local nonproject actions, which are defined as the adoption of plans, policies, and regulations. State rules, however, offer little guidance on how, when, and where to integrate the environmental analysis into the planning. As a result, the environmental analysis often does not meet the intent of state law and regulations. In 2001, the Washington State Department of Ecology initiated the development of an optional integrative planning process so that the incorporation of environmental values and issues could be more effectively reflected in local and state government decisions. Pilots covering a variety of plans, policies, and programs were conducted by several state and local agencies. The results indicated that the integration process for environmental analysis improved the clarity and efficiency of proposal development and augmented opportunities for public and agency input. The agencies conducting the pilots also noted that the approach resulted in improved planning documents, particularly in identifying objectives and refining the scope of a nonproject proposal. Although there are substantial benefits from this approach, resistance to this optional integrative planning process needs to be addressed through education, regulation, or other means.

David W. Orr. 2004. Island Press, Washington, DC. 192 pp. $20 hardcover.

Readers of David Orr's previous work will be delighted, though I suspect not surprised, to learn that he has written yet another landmark book. The Last Refuge: Patriotism, Politics, and the Environment in an Age of Terror is a timely collection of 13 essays, most of which appeared originally in the journal Conservation Biology. The essays contained in The Last Refuge are diverse, ranging from an examination of the environmental movement's shortcomings to a scathing critique of Bjørn Lomborg's controversial book, The Skeptical Environmentalist. If the essays are viewed as a whole, however, they constitute a coherent jeremiad against the prevailing political, economic, and cultural values of modern America.

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.

Gregory M. Ruiz and James T. Carlton, eds. 2003. Island Press, Washington, DC. 518 pp. $75 hardcover, $40 paperback.

Invasive Species consists of 18 chapters contributed by different authors, all directed at an overview of “vectors” that transport species to new regions in which the organisms are not indigenous. The intent is to provide an overview of the transnational transfers of such species—crop pests, pets, ornamental plants, potential invaders of ecosystems, pathogens, others—with a view to improving the efficacy of policy and management strategies for reducing said transfers. The book is only partially successful at this.

Rapid assessment of land use change at scales ranging from local to global can provide timely, accurate information about land suitability, supporting infrastructure, and regulatory compliance so that developers, resource managers, planners, and decision makers can make critical decisions in the face of uncertainty. One area of concern regarding land suitability is the presence, extent, and quality of wetlands. Federal and state wetland protection legislation and local ordinances have effectively sought to reduce the amount of wetlands converted to other uses or to mitigate for unavoidable removal of wetlands. Identification and delineation of existing or potential wetlands, as well as locations that could serve as mitigation areas, is an important process in environmental planning and development. A method of identifying and delineating wetlands using the technique of rapid assessment at regional scales is presented. This method combines high-resolution remote-sensed and secondary data, including thematic maps depicting vegetation, soils, and surface hydrology in a computer-aided geographical information system. The system provides a co-occurrence analysis in which the presence of existing and historic wetlands can be mapped. Areas identified as wetlands can then be compared with detailed, on-site wetland delineations conducted by professional wetland scientists to check the accuracy of the prediction. Using various combinations of data, prediction accuracy ranged between 75% to more than 80% when compared with on-site delineation. While it is conceded that automated rapid assessment will never replace an experienced professional making a site visit, the technique demonstrates a high degree of accuracy in locating and bounding wetland systems in a cost-effective manner. Further, regional screening tools with a high degree of accuracy can substantially limit more costly and time-intensive fieldwork.

Since Executive Order 12898 in 1994, environmental justice analyses are required in the draft environmental impact statements (DEISs) prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act. Of a total of 2,062 DEISs produced from 1994 to 2001, approximately 994 documents had some form of environmental justice analysis. These 994 DEISs were evaluated to determine the methodology utilized in the analyses. Most analyses are conducted by the United States Navy, Department of Energy, Federal Highway Administration, and Army Corps of Engineers. Only about half (49.3%) of the analyses focused on low income as the sole variable. Most documents (93%) concluded that there was no impact to environmental justice communities. Results show that the analyses included some level of empirical information in only about half of the analyses (49.3%). A small percentage (4.4%) of analyses relied upon a qualitative history. Less than half (46.3%) of the analyses merely stated that there was no impact and did not contain substantial qualitative or empirical information. Thus, the findings suggest that there is a potential for environmental justice concerns to be overlooked due to deficient methodology by the DEIS preparers and the large number of DEISs claiming that there is no impact to communities. For instance, a little more than half (57.2%) of the analyses did not include a geographical unit, necessary to the identification of environmental justice communities. Recommendations are made for practitioners and policy makers to rely more on geospatial tools like geographical information systems and to build more sophisticated methods for environmental justice analyses, including statistical analyses using empirical data.