What is the relationship to public involvement requirements of NEPA?
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) requires federal agencies to include public input whenever any action is considered that may have significant impacts on the environment or may be controversial. While public input is required, the specific format is not dictated. Rather, the DO-12 Handbook for Environmental Impact Analysis states that managers should “Be diligent and creative in your efforts to involve the public in your NEPA procedures and resource planning” (p. 63). Human dimensions inquiry can help assure that public processes are designed to be most effective, not only from a procedural standpoint (i.e., fulfilling process criteria of NEPA Section 102) but also from an outcome standpoint (i.e., fulfilling NEPA Section 101, productive harmony between humans and the environment). Tailoring the process to the specific management context can result in wiser, fairer, more sustainable, and implementable alternatives. Consultants who design public engag
