Introduction

• Author: Elizabeth D. Mullin
• Pages: 1-10

1

CHAPTER 1:

Introduction

This book is about writing, but not just any type of writing. It is about

writing to express views on a draft environmental document to

improve the document itself or inuence a proposed decision.

When a bill becomes an environmental law, it set s into motion a series

of actions requiring decisions. e law may require government agencies1 to

adopt regulations, develop programs, prepare plans, conduct studies, write

reports, or issue permits. e environmental law itself, or regulations adopted

to implement the law, may also apply to the private sector, requiring compa-

nies to conduct studies, keep records, or prepare permit applications, plans,

or reports for submission to government agencies.

ese actions have one thing in common: they all require writing. Some-

one—in the government, in a company subject to an environmental law, or

in a consulting rm working for a government a gency or company—must

prepare something in writing to comply with the law. It is to this broad body

of written work that this book applies. e writings, which may be regu-

lations, gu idelines, programs, applications, plans, studies, reports, permits,

and the like, are ca lled “documents.” e documents may be anything from

regulations governing permissible levels of arsenic in drink ing water to stud-

ies supporting a permit application to build a logging road in a state park. All

such documents support or set forth an environmental decision.

Writing a n environmental docu ment is tricky business. Environmental

decisions invariably involve a complex assessment of scientic, technical,

economic, and legal issues. Decisions must often be made despite uncertain-

ties. Time and again, documents must be written even though costs prohibit

developing complete data, and there are limits on scientic understanding. It

is often dicult to assess risks and predict outcomes, and technology may be

unproven. Moreover, due to employee turnover and typical workload alloca-

tion patterns, new or inexperienced stas may wind up with the job of actu-

ally drafting the documents.

1 For simplicity, in this book the word “agency” covers all types of federal, state, and local governmental

entities, including departments, commissions, administrations, special districts, and others.