Environmental Sustainability

• Author: Bruce J. Perlman
• Published date: 01 June 2014
• Date: 01 June 2014
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0160323X14542442
• Subject Matter: Governance Matters Manuscripts

Governance Matters Manuscript

Environmental Sustainability:

State Spending Capacity and

Public Participation

Bruce J. Perlman

1

Keywords

environmental sustainability, energy sustainability, ARRA, environmental, issues, citizen participation

In this issue of State and Local Government

Review’s Government Matters Section, two

articles examine the implementation of energy

sustainability programs. One article examines

how state capacity affected the plans of the

U.S. government to fund state energy pro-

grams under the American Recovery and

Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The other article

examines local-level citizen participation in

environmental issues both in the United States

and in Kyrgyzstan. The two essays are com-

plementary; they examine different levels of

government and different countries. The

ARRA article presents an analysis using pub-

lished data and examines program-specific

cases. The citizen participation piece uses

cases studied in three cities to illustrate princi-

ples for local participation.

Lessons from ARRA State

Spending

Sanya Carley and Martin Hyman provide some

lessons on the impediments sta te implementa-

tion of spending by the Obama admi nistration

on energy programs under ARRA; efforts taken

to shore up the nation’s imperiled energy effi-

ciency and conservation efforts and to support

national recovery during the Great Recession.

Carley and Hyman summarize spending by

major program and present major categories

of challenges faced by states in funding

existing programs. They show ARRA imple-

mentation was hampered by regulatory, and

readiness and expectations in several cate-

gories. They apply these ideas to the Weather-

ization Assistance Program, the State Energy

Program, and the State Energy Efficient Appli-

ance Rebate Program, review the efforts of

some states to implement them, and arrive at

some lessons learned to help improve planning

for future spending. Their article provides valu-

able information for academics and practi-

tioners regarding state spending of grants in

aid and intergovernmental relations.

Local Lessons from New Jersey,

New York, and Kyrgyzstan

Jyldyz Kasymova and Tia Sheree Gaynor

examine citizen participation in environment

programs at the local level. They evaluate citi-

zen engagement and both formal and informal

participation efforts in three cases—Newark

and Tonawanda in the United States and

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. They use a framework

that stresses the advantages and challenges to

1

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA

Corresponding Author:

Bruce J. Perlman, University of New Mexico, Social

Sciences Bldg, 3rd Floor, Room 3004, MSC05 3100,

Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.

Email: bperlman@unm.edu

State and Local GovernmentReview

2014, Vol. 46(2) 128-129

ªThe Author(s) 2014

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DOI: 10.1177/0160323X14542442

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