RE: The spectrum of public involvement

[Terry J. Harris <tjharris@abs.net>]

	Better public participation comes when it occurs higher on the "ladder" of participation. However, too often public participation in environmental decision-making occurs on the lower rungs. The goals of the participation are more often "placation" (communities get to negotiate tiny concessions) or "manipulation" (communities subjected to public relations campaigns) rather than "control" or "partnership" in the decision-making. In reality, enhanced public participation increases the efficiency of decision-making in the sense that an open and intelligible process are more likely to lead to results accepted by the public. Anger and distrust are potentially avoided with proper public participation processes.