Influencing US environmental policy: players and strategies

Abstract

The paper explores the strategies used by industry, environmental advocacy groups and scientific societies to influence environmental policy in the United States. The commodities of influence - money, votes and information - are discussed and the ways each of these three interest groups uses these commodities is described. A case study using the 'Healthy Forests' debate illustrates how this works. 'Healthy Forest' legislation was introduced as a result of community pressure to prevent forest fires which had been raging in the American West during the summer of 2002. An analysis of how each interest group used the commodities of influence to impact the outcome of the legislation is presented.