Who are the Decision-Makers?

Sometimes it is difficult to identify who the decision makers actually are.  Here is a short list of decision-makers for land and resource use decisions.

Policy-makers develop and enact laws and regulations for federal, state, and local jurisdictions.

Environmental managers and natural resource managers at the regional and state* scale determine how to implement existing laws and regulations.

City and county governments, planning commissions, and similar entities determine local land usage within the constraints of laws and regulations.  

Individuals representing themselves or their businesses perform daily activities that affect the environment.  Some typical decisions may be:

• Should I add fertilizer, herbicides, or pesticides to my lawn?
• Should I consider a pervious surface for my parking lot to decrease stormwater runoff?
• Should I allow my cattle to enter the creek on my farm?

Sometimes, seemingly innocuous decisions can affect areas beyond the decision location.  In the above examples, all of the decisions will affect anyone who is “downstream”.

* When the term “state” is used throughout the course it is intended to represent any U.S. jurisdiction, which includes states, territories, tribes and commonwealths.