Grantee Research Project Results
Regional Governance and Environmental Quality
EPA Grant Number: U915175Title: Regional Governance and Environmental Quality
Investigators: Trelstad, Brian R.
Institution: Stanford University
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: January 1, 1997 through January 1, 1999
Project Amount: $68,000
RFA: STAR Graduate Fellowships (1997) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Fellowship - Urban Planning , Academic Fellowships , Environmental Justice
Objective:
The objective of this research project is to study regional environmental institutions in the United States by comparing governance that emerges from collaboration among municipalities (and counties) with federal or state institutions that manage environmental quality at the regional level.
Approach:
There are three specific steps to be taken in this study of regional environmental governance. The first is to write a series of case studies that review some of the central issues in regional environmental management throughout the United States. The second step is to explore theories of collective action and organizational design to determine whether or not game-theoretic models can describe the dynamic or regional environmental collaboration (or its absence). The hypothesis is that municipal economic development objectives can provide a strong incentive for cities to defect from regional collaborations, potentially sacrificing environmental quality for economic growth opportunities. The final step is to study one region in closer detail, and to look at the interaction among municipal and county economic development and environmental protection offices, within and among cities.
Supplemental Keywords:
fellowship, governance, environmental quality, land use, environmental management, game theory, economic development., RFA, Economic, Social, & Behavioral Science Research Program, Scientific Discipline, POLLUTION PREVENTION, sustainable development, decision-making, Ecology and Ecosystems, Urban and Regional Planning, Economics & Decision Making, collective choice process, community involvement, policy making, urban planning, advocacy coalition framework, decision making, environmental decision making, community based environmental planning, regional governance, environmental policy, local levelProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.