The National Institute for the Environment: Comparison with other proposals
- Univ. of Illinois, Chicago, IL (United States)
This paper compares proposals for reform of federal environmental research and development (R D). Analysis is based on recent reports by the Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology, and Government, the Commission on Environmental Research of the National Research Council (NRC), the National Biological Survey (NBS), and the Committee for the National Institute for the Environment (CNIE). all reports note similar deficiencies in federal R D concerning the environment, including lack of coordination among 20 agencies, emphasis on short-term solutions, and research driven by regulatory crises. The Carnegie Commission recommends new oversight bodies to ensure proper assessment; it does not recommend major increases in funding. The NRC commission prefers substantial increases in funding and placement of parts of existing executive departments into a research unit of a new Department of the Environment. The NBS is an internal reorganization of biological research units within the Department of the Interior (DOI). The NIE proposal would establish a new agency, either free-standing or within a new Department of the Environment, which would provide assessments of what needs to be known, extramural peer-reviewed research to fill gaps, an electronic management function, and a strong commitment to multidisciplinary higher education and training in environmental engineering, sciences, and humanities. The NIE would have no regulatory function and would not require reorganization of existing programs.
- OSTI ID:
- 5127192
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Professional; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Professional; (United States) Vol. 15:4; ISSN 0191-5398; ISSN EPROD9
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Federal organization for nonnuclear energy research and development activities of departments and agencies other than ERDA: FY 1976
The new NIE: National Institute for the Environment