Environmental Public Policy Making Exposed

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-ix

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2. Environmental Policy: The Current Paradigm

   • Cynthia H. Stahl, Alan J. Cimorelli

   Pages 1-24

3. Decision Uncertainty in a New Public Policy Paradigm

   • Cynthia H. Stahl, Alan J. Cimorelli

   Pages 25-45

4. Introduction to MIRA, an Open Solution Approach

   • Cynthia H. Stahl, Alan J. Cimorelli

   Pages 47-71

5. The MIRA Approach: Initialization

   • Cynthia H. Stahl, Alan J. Cimorelli

   Pages 73-94

6. The MIRA Approach: Iterate to Stakeholder Agreement by Minimizing Decision Uncertainty

   • Cynthia H. Stahl, Alan J. Cimorelli

   Pages 95-149

7. Open Solution Approaches: Not Just for Decision Making

   • Cynthia H. Stahl, Alan J. Cimorelli

   Pages 151-170

8. Back Matter

   Pages 171-203

   PDF

This book exposes the barriers to inclusive and effective public policy making, which are the current decision making paradigm and commonly held ideas that reduce public policy problems to scientific and technical ones. Through both environmental policy and other decision making examples, readers are shown the commonalities of all decision making. Solution-oriented practitioners and stakeholders will find this book filling a conceptual and methodological gap in existing policy literature and practice. The authors deftly guide readers from post-normal science, wicked problems, and uncertainty concepts to a conceptually-grounded, practical implementation of a new approach, the open solution approach. 

The Multi-criteria Integrated Resource Assessment (MIRA) is described as the first generation methodology that fulfills the expectations for the inclusive, transparent, and learning-based open solutions approach. MIRA is a holistic package of concepts, methods and analytical tools that is designed to assess Decision Uncertainty, the combined uncertainties that include data, problem formulation, expert judgments, and stakeholder opinions. Introduction of the Requisite Steps, the common steps found in all decision making, provides the yardstick for evaluating a variety of decision making processes, decision tools, and commonly found indices such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the Newsweek Green Ranking of corporations. 

The use of anecdotes, policy stories, and case examples makes this a very readable and practical book for citizens and experts. With this book, readers are prepared to critically evaluate these common indices for their personal use as well as challenge policy processes as a stakeholder. For policy practitioners, this guidebook will become a rubric to ensure an effective public policy making process and to critically evaluate decision support tools.

• environmental policy
• wicked problems
• decision analysis
• environmental stakeholders
• sustainable development

“This book is intended for public policy practitioners and public policy stakeholders. … The book also provides step-by-step guidance for implementing MIRA, so that practitioners and stakeholders can prepare to evaluate the tools and approaches used in policy decision-making. By reading this book, readers will gain a better understanding of the challenges of public policy decision-making. The book also stimulates readers to think critically about current decision-making paradigms and encourages greater stakeholder participation in the decision-making process.” (Edyanto, Lukman Arifin and Syaharuddin, Journal of Agricultural, Biological, and Environmental Statistics, Vol. 28 (4), 2023)

• US EPA, Philadelphia, USA

  Cynthia H. Stahl

• US EPA (retired), Philadelphia, USA

  Alan J. Cimorelli

Dr. Stahl is currently a senior environmental scientist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, specializing in environmental policy development and decision analysis. Her expertise includes air quality programs, integrated health and ecological analyses (including stakeholder participation), the construction and use of indicators in integrated analyses (including cumulative impact analysis), uncertainty in decision making, and making sustainability operable through good decision analytic principles. With A. Cimorelli, she is a co-developer of the Multi-criteria Integrated Resources Assessment (MIRA) open solution approach.

Mr. Cimorelli is currently retired from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He is an internationally recognized expert in near-field atmospheric dispersion modeling.  During his 41 years of professional experience he served as a senior physical scientist and regional meteorologist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with responsibilities that included, research and development in atmospheric dispersion modeling and other related analysis techniques.  Mr. Cimorelli is one of the principal developers of the AERMOD modeling system. His expertise also included the development of Agency guidance related to all aspect of air dispersion modeling, as well as the review and conduct of regulatory air modeling studies and air risk assessments.  Additional he has taught many undergraduate and graduate courses in advanced air quality modeling, environmental law and environmental engineering at both Drexel and Temple Universities. With Dr. Stahl, he is a co-developer of the Multi-criteria Integrated Resources Assessment (MIRA) open solution approach.

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