Local Control of the Environment: Is this what they asked for?

1
Local Control of the Environment Is this what
they asked for?

• Timothy Lawrence
• Ohio NEMO, Ohio State University Extension
• Tomas Koontz
• Associate Professor - Human Dimensions, The Ohio
  State University, School of Natural Resources

2
Current Environmental Regulatory Paradigm

• Federal Government
• Setting Standards
• Avoid race to the bottom
• State Government
• Enforcement of federal standards
• Local Government
• Implementation

3
State and Local Reaction

• State and local officials often view this as an
  intrusion on what they deem the legitimate
  function of sub-national governments, with the
  federal government attempting to micromanage
  their affairs (Scheberle, 1997)
• The proponents of environmental devolution
  contend centralized command and control is far
  less effective than a system overseen by state
  or local officials

Scheberle, D. (1997). Federalism and
Environmental Policy Trust and the Politics of
Implementation (First ed.). Washington DC
Georgetown University Press
4
Devolution of Environmental Regulations

• Larger study will focus on
• Factors that may influence the stringency of
  local environmental regulations
• Role of federal, state and local government in
  environmental regulations, from the local
  officials perspective

5
NPDES Phase II requirements

• Six minimum measures
• Public Education Outreach
• Public Involvement/Participation
• Illicit Discharge Detection Elimination
• Construction Site Storm Water Runoff Control
• Post-Construction Storm Water Management
• Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for
  Municipal Operations

6
Research Focus

• Six minimum measures
• Public Education Outreach
• Public Involvement/Participation
• Illicit Discharge Detection Elimination
• Construction Site Storm Water Runoff Control
• Post-Construction Storm Water Management
• Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for
  Municipal Operations

7
NPDES Storm Water Program

• Part of the Clean Water Act of 1972
• NRDC Litigation
• Phase I
• Communities lt 250,000
• Phase II
• Communities 50,000
• Density 1,000/mi2

8
Mixed Methodology Research Design

• Interviews
• Key Informants
• Understand Current Issues
• Development of Survey Questionnaire for Local
  Officials
• Local Officials
• Increase our understanding of information derived
  from Key informant interviews and survey
  questionnaire
• Develop the story from the local officials
  perspective

• Survey
• Issue areas identified from key informants
• Collaboration
• Environment
• Implementation
• Knowledge
• Local Control
• Ohio EPA
• Regulations
• Demographic information
• Role of local watershed groups in the storm water
  management plan (SWMP)

9
Compared to state or national officials, local
officials can best determine how to protect the
local environment.
Strongly Disagree 1 Strongly Agree 10
10
Local management of storm water would not have
been a high priority without federal laws.
Strongly Disagree 1 Strongly Agree 10
11
A system where the federal government sets the
standards, the state enforces, and local
jurisdictions implement is a good system
Strongly Disagree 1 Strongly Agree 10
12
The Clean Water Act has, overall, had a positive
impact on my community
Strongly Disagree 1 Strongly Agree 10
13
Protection of the environment adds to the quality
of life in my community.
Strongly Disagree 1 Strongly Agree 10
14
Improving water quality should be a goal of our
current storm water quantity management program
Strongly Disagree 1 Strongly Agree 10
15
I have enough information to make informed
decisions about storm water management
Strongly Disagree 1 Strongly Agree 10
16
I have a good understanding of what is in my
communitys storm water master plan submitted to
the Ohio EPA
Strongly Disagree 1 Strongly Agree 10
17
Local officials have a good understanding of the
benefits that storm water management plans will
have on their community
Strongly Disagree 1 Strongly Agree 10
18
Local officials are aware of the costs associated
with the Phase II plan submitted to the Ohio EPA
Strongly Disagree 1 Strongly Agree 10
19
The Ohio EPA has done a good job in explaining
the requirements necessary for the Phase II
program
Strongly Disagree 1 Strongly Agree 10
20
The Ohio EPA has done a good job in explaining
the overall purpose for the Phase II program
Strongly Disagree 1 Strongly Agree 10
21
Local watershed groups have influenced our storm
water management plan
Strongly Disagree 1 Strongly Agree 10
22
Support For Watershed Group Involvement
23
Role For Watershed Groups
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Conclusions

• Protection of the environment is important to
  most local officials
• The is support for local storm water regulations
  to help protect natural resources
• There is both support and need for educational
  programs to increase awareness and to aid in the
  implementation of environmental programs

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Conclusions

• There does appear to be a need for higher level
  governmental intervention to ensure a regulatory
  approach
• There is support for local watersheds groups to
  assist local officials in implementing
  environmental programs
• There appears to be a gap in the educational
  information needed by local officials that could
  be met by Extension

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Conclusions

• Local Watershed Groups
• Primary Areas of Focus
• Education
• Environmental Awareness
• Environmental Activities
• Secondary Areas
• Environmental Stewardship
• Plan Development
• Water Quality Monitoring
• Areas to Avoid
• Plan Implementation
• Compliance Monitoring

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Conclusions

• Role for Extension
• Assist with the integration of local officials
  and watershed groups
• Appropriate Roles
• Education
• Public Participation
• Political Awareness
• Jurisdictional Authority
• Perception of Political Autonomy
• Community Development
• Cost/Benefit of SWMP
• Storm Water Utilities and other funding
  mechanisms