Risk of Public Disclosure in Environmental Farm Plan Programs: Characteristics and Mitigating Legal and Policy Strategies

Although various studies have shown thatfarmers believe there is the need for a producer-ledinitiative to address the environmental problems fromagriculture, farmers in several Canadian provinceshave been reluctant to widely participate inEnvironmental Farm Plan (EFP) programs. Few studieshave examined the key issues associated with adoptingEFP programs based on farmers', as opposed to policymakers', perspectives on why producers are reluctantto participate in the program. A study adapting VanRaaij's (1981) conceptual model of the decision-makingenvironment of the firm, and prospect theory on valuefunctions associated with the gains and losses fromrisky choices can be used to characterize how farmersperceive potential risks in environmental farmplanning. This framework can be used to assert thatfarmers are concerned about risks of public disclosureof potentially incriminating environmental informationfrom farms because the EFP program requirements foridentification and extensive documentation of farminformation is perceived by farmers as facilitatingthe accessibility of environmental information to thepublic, and public investigative efforts. Although theEFP program does not explicitly generate informationabout the environmental conditions of a farm nor thedisclosure of such information to the public, itcreates the possibility of generating and divulgingpotentially incriminating information that the farmermay want to treat as confidential. Yet, alone, theserisks of public disclosure concerns should not preventfarmers from participating in the EFP. Awareness ofand participation in environmental farm planning canbe increased if farmers and policy makers understandwhat the risks are, and how they arise. Aspects of theEFP process that have the potential to generate riskof public disclosure concerns relate to farm reviews,documentation and record keeping, and correctiveaction plans. There are legal and policy instrumentsthat can offer various forms of protection and helpminimize such risks, and these need to be assessed.     

我国自然保护区生态旅游资源价值实现方式研究

从我国自然保护区所面临的经费困难和开展生态旅游的现状入手 ,概述了生态旅游资源的价值评估法和加拿大国家公园使用者收费情况 ,并探讨了我国自然保护区生态旅游资源价值实现的若干方式     

LOCATION OF MUNICIPAL WELL FIELDS IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE REGION1

ABSTRACT: A visual selection technique can be utilized to locate potential well field sites prior to on-site testing. The technique is based upon an understanding of the regional hydrology and an appreciation for development goals such as the identification of high-yield and low-impact locations. Although the uniqueness of Pasco, Pinellas, and Hillsborough Counties in Western Florida has been incorporated into the current application, the methodology, with modifications, is transferable to other geographic regions. Overlays of each criterion used in site selection are combined to form a regional composite showing favorable site locations and further serve a useful communications role as visual aids during public presentation. Implications of direct and indirect cost savings to the public are obtained when the methodology is applied to the location of municipal well fields.     

FIELD EVALUATION OF SOME PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT TECHNIQUES1

ABSTRACT: Public involvement in water resources planning is receiving much current attention, and there is a need to examine systematically how different public involvement techniques work in practice. The following techniques were among those used to involve the public in a recent Corps of Engineers’study of flooding on San Pedro Creek in Pacifica, California: a public workshop, citizen information bulletins (CIBs) and questionnaries. Interviews were held with 75 study participants to evaluate the effectiveness of these techniques. The interviews indicated that various study participants felt positively about the particular workshop format employed and about the use of a communications specialist to train workshop leaders. There were mixed reactions to the effectiveness of the CIBs and questionnaires. Although many individual citizens felt that the CIBs and questionnaires were useful, some of the Corps planners felt that CIBs and questionnaires would only be “cost-effective” on large studies and/or where the questionnaire response rate was high. The interviews led to a number of specific suggestions regarding how the extent of public involvement could be increased in future water resources planning studies.     

Influence of different ignition delay times on the pressure rise rate in hybrid mixture explosions in the 20-L sphere

For the development of a standardized method for measuring the explosion safety characteristics of combustible hybrid dust/vapor mixtures, the influence of the ignition delay time needs to be investigated. The ignition delay time, defined as the time between the injection of dust and the activation of the ignition source, is related to the turbulence of the mixture and thus to the pressure rise rate. The ignition source for pure vapors, however, has to be activated in a quiescent atmosphere according to the standards. Nevertheless, when measuring the explosion safety characteristics of hybrid mixtures, it is important that the dust be in suspension around the igniter. Like pure dust/air mixtures, hybrid dust/vapor/air mixtures need to be ignited in a turbulent atmosphere to keep the dust in suspension.This work will therefore investigate the influence of ignition delay times on the severity of hybrid explosions. It was generally found that at shorter ignition delay times, (dp/dt)_ex increased due to higher turbulence and decreases as the dust sinks to the bottom of the 20 L-sphere. This effect is more pronounced for hybrid mixtures with higher vapor content compared to dust content.     

流域突发污染事件的生态服务价值损失评估方法研究

生态系统服务价值损失评估是流域突发水污染事件生态损害定量、污染事故责任认定的重要依据.针对流域突发污染事件损失定量问题,基于生态系统服务价值理论,构建了包含不同主导服务偏好的生态系统服务价值损失指标评估方法,提出了受损服务识别、评估指标筛选、损失价值核算三步评估程序,并以浙江省某河段苯酚泄漏事件造成的流域生态系统服务损失为例进行实际测算,结合实例以1-9标度层次分析法(AHP)验证了该方法偏好系数计算方法的可靠性.结果表明,本方法与AHP法的水体生态系统服务损失评估额相对偏差为2.5％,单项指标损失额排序相同,并且在保证评估结果可靠性的前提下更具易操作性优势.     

INTEGRATING SOCIO‐ECONOMIC AND BIOPHYSICAL DATA TO UNDERPIN COLLABORATIVE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT1

ABSTRACT: Watersheds are widely accepted as a useful geography for organizing natural resource management in Australia and the United States. It is assumed that effective action needs to be underpinned by an understanding of the interactions between people and the environment. While there has been some social research as part of watershed planning, there have been few attempts to integrate socio‐economic and biophysical data to improve the efficacy of watershed management. This paper explores that topic. With limited resources for social research, watershed partners in Australia chose to focus on gathering spatially referenced socio‐economic data using a mail survey to private landholders that would enable them to identify and refine priority issues, develop and improve communication with private landholders, choose policy options to accomplish watershed targets, and evaluate the achievement of intermediate watershed plan objectives. Experience with seven large watershed projects provides considerable insight about the needs of watershed planners, how to effectively engage them, and how to collect and integrate social data as part of watershed management.     

Environmental public opinion in U.S. states, 1973–2012

Partisan polarization of public opinion is a major trend in American environmental politics. While the national pattern is widely recognized, scholars know much less about the polarization of public opinion over time at the state level. This lack of knowledge is unfortunate because geographic variation in the polarization of opinion is essential for explaining the origins of partisan polarization and evaluating its consequences for policy. To fill the gap, the multilevel regression and poststratification technique is applied to provide credible estimates of state-level environmental public opinion for both Democrats and Republicans, 1973–2012. It appears that the growing partisan gap reflects increased pro-environmental opinion among Democrats across many states, whereas Republican state-level public opinion is converging toward a much lower baseline. Cross-state variation among both parties has decreased over time, contributing to greater partisan polarization in the aggregate. Changes in the sorting of voters in and out of political parties cannot explain these patterns of polarization.     

A PARTICIPATORY APPROACH TO WATERSHED MANAGEMENT: THE BRAZILIAN SYSTEM1

ABSTRACT: Brazil is currently facing the challenge of implementing a new water resources management system to promote the rational and sustainable use of the country's waters. This system is based on the following principles of water management: (2) stakeholders' participation; (2) the watershed as the planning and management unit; and (3) the economic value of water. Stakeholders' participation and the involvement of civil society in the decision making process is guaranteed by permanent seats in the watersheds' management committees. These committees are the highest decision level for the establishment of water policy and for planning its use. The executive branch of the committees is the watershed agency or the water agency. This paper presents the recently approved Brazilian water resources management system and discusses the participatory approach followed to validate and to ensure prompt response to decisions regarding water use by all stakeholders. The formulation of the National Water Law (January/1998) was also supported by extensive consultation with civil society, professional associations, state and municipal governments as well as with federal governmental agencies and private sector organizations. It also presents an overview of the formulation of the National Water Law. Finally, as watershed committees have been created and are already operating in a limited number of watersheds, some of the major obstacles to the success of the new system are discussed along with alternatives for overcoming such obstacles.