Introduction: Environmental Conflict

Environmental conflict appears to be increasing exponentially. Natural resource management disputes over preservation or “wise use” rage in forests, river systems, rangelands, and mineral lands. Locating hazardous waste sites is so contentious that there is only one site in the country that accepts the high-level waste produced everywhere else in the United State. Existing waste sites are closing their gates to all but local waste. Low income and minority communities are documenting the disproportionate burden of toxic contamination in their neighborhoods and are fighting back in the environmental justice movement. NIMBY (Not In My ***BackYard) responses to LULUs (Locally Unwanted Land Uses) appear to have paralyzed both government agencies and neighborhoods as they attempt to clean up past contamination, control present pollution, and manage future responses to development. Conflicts and disputes between affected parties—stakeholders in the common parlance—are regularly in the news as local, state, and federal government agencies attempt to gain public acceptability of programs through public involvement in decision making.