Performance Measurement in Local Sustainability Policy
Local officials are responsible for a number of important tasks that have a significant impact on the quality of life of most Americans. Arguably, the policy choices made by local governments in the United States more directly impact individual well-being than do the choices made at any other level of government. From zoning decisions to the creation of parks and the maintenance of sidewalks and trails, local governments are largely responsible for direct services to the public and can provide the necessary tools and skills to create an attractive and vibrant community. And yet one area of significant importance for both individuals and for the country as a whole, local sustainability, is a relatively new policy area for many American municipalities. For example, how many local governments are adopting sustainability policies and plans? How are those initiatives performing? Without an honest and robust examination of both the effectiveness and the efficiency of local sustainability policies, the success of the entire sustainability movement in the United States is uncertain. This book provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of what constitutes local sustainability and why it matters.
Focusing closely on environmental initiatives, economic development issues, and social equity concerns, each chapter offers both an account of the sustainability policies being adopted and a close exploration of the performance measurement activities of cities in that policy area. Readers are introduced to the metrics that American cities are using to measure the performance of their sustainability efforts, as well as benchmarks and comparison statistics that may be used to develop and evaluate the performance assessment efforts in their own sustainability programs. Students of public administration, urban planning, and political science as well as public officials will find this book useful to understand the complexity of sustainability and local government.
Susan M. Opp is Associate Professor at Colorado State University, USA.
Samantha L. Mosier is Assistant Professor at East Carolina University, USA.
Jeffery L. Osgood, Jr. is Professor of Public Policy and Administration and Senior Vice Provost at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, USA.
With,
Mark W. Davis is Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Administration and Chair of the Sustainability Advisory Council at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, USA.
This is one of the few books in the policy field that presents both the practitioner perspective as well as the academic literature on these issues, drawing on fascinating examples that document the multiple values at play. This volume not only focuses on the substance of the policy, but is also effective for classroom use.
Beryl A. Radin, Georgetown University, USA
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY SERIES
A Comprehensive Publication Program
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
DAVID H. ROSENBLOOM
Distinguished Professor of Public Administration American University, Washington, DC
Founding Editor
JACK RABIN
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First published 2018
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Jennifer L. Collins is the Assistance and Outreach Manager at the Indiana Department of Environmental Managements (IDEM) Office of Program Support. She has worked with IDEM for 15 years where she served as the Pollution Prevention Branch Chief, a Section Chief in the Air Compliance Branch, and as an Air Compliance Inspector. She has a BS in Public Affairs with a concentration in Environmental Science from Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
Delaware Regional Valley Planning Commission has served the Greater Philadelphia region for more than 50 years. DVRPC works to foster regional cooperation in a nine-county, two-state area. City, county, and state representatives work together to address key issues, including transportation, land use, environmental protection, and economic development. DVRPC serves as the regional planning agency for the nine-county, bistate, Greater Philadelphia Area, providing guidance and assistance to build a sustainable and livable region. DVRPC provides services to member governments and others through planning analysis, data collection, and mapping services. DVRPC was formed by an Interstate Compact through legislation passed by the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1965, as reenacted and amended in 1967, and by the New Jersey Legislature in a series of conforming acts passed between 1966 and 1974.
