Achieving Justice Through Public Participation: Measuring the Effectiveness of New York's Enhanced Public Participation Plan for Environmental Justice Communities

摘要: Public participation is at the heart of democracy and environmental justice movement. Most state-level policies regulations focus on improving public within administrative processes to ensure that communities have a voice in decisions affect them. New York has adopted an policy follows this model requires enhanced notice, accessible comment opportunities, improved access technical information for new major permits issued facilities proposed low-income or minority communities. However, York’s policy, like other state participation-focused policies, yet be evaluated. This work addresses gap. To do so, I develop six theoretically-tethered criteria effective (access, fair process, voice, dialogue, recognition, legitimacy) through review literature relevant theory, particularly procedural as recognition; role state, theory history justice. then refine ground those measures interviews with community activists, advocates regulatory agency staff apply grounded comparative case study permitting did not trigger policy. The data, collected participant interviews, document review, survey analyzed qualitatively, suggest improves external framework marked improvements objective and, lesser extent, social recognition. creates space institutional but does internal changes decision-making structure necessary guarantee these improvements. Organizational culture applicant and/or agency, identity composition, source content meeting may also significant impacts effectiveness merit further investigation. Achieving Justice Participation: Measuring Effectiveness State’s Enhanced Participation Policy Environmental Communities