MEASURING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT: POLICY OPTIONS FOR CALIFORNIA AND NORTH CAROLINA

Abstract

NOAA manages the coastal zone in the United States under the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA). One of the goals of the act is to provide opportunities for the public to participate in the coastal zone management (CZM) process. I have developed a set of indicators of public participation by reviewing how government agencies solicit and implement public views in the states of California and North Carolina. Indicators – measures of success – are used by government agencies to show their progress towards policy goals, to simplify information, and to improve communication between government officials and the public. A public participation indicator will help states determine how well they are implementing the CZMA, enable states to compare participation levels over time, and allow comparisons between states. Indicators of public participation, however, should include a measure of the effectiveness of the participation, of how representative the views of those who participate are of the entire public, and of the influence that the public has on final policy outcomes. If NOAA develops a national system of indicators and performance measures, they should include an indicator of public participation in coastal zone management decisions.