Chương này mô tả các công cụ, kỹ thuật, và phương pháp tiếp cận để cải thiện và tinh giản quốc gia Đạo luật Chính sách môi trường (NEPA) và các vấn đề quy hoạch môi trường. Như minh họa bằng câu chuyện sau đây, sự thành công mà cơ quan đã sắp xếp lại hoặc cải thiện NEPA, một biện pháp lớn, phụ thuộc vào cơ quan lựa chọn để thực hành Đạo luật. | 2 Tools Techniques and Approaches for Improving and Streamlining NEPA This chapter describes tools techniques and approaches for improving and streamlining National Environmental Policy Act NEPA and environmental planning problems. As illustrated by the following story the success that an agency has in streamlining or improving NEPA is to a large measure dependent on how that agency chooses to practice the Act. NEPA AND PROCESSIONARY CATERPILLARS As many biologists will testify processionary caterpillars meander their way through tree branches each one with its head fitted snugly against the rear extremity of its predecessor. The long winding procession thus formed gives the caterpillars their aptly deserved designation. Intrigued by this behavior the naturalist Jean-Henri Fabre lured a colony of these creatures onto the rim of a pot. In due time the caterpillars began to snuggle up to one another and after forming an interconnected chain eventually began to move around in a large circle. Since the chain had no beginning or end Fabre expected that the caterpillars would soon tire of this unceasing parade and head off in a new direction. Such was not the case. Fascinated Fabre placed a supply of food next to them but to no avail. Undeterred by the food that was outside the domain of their circle the caterpillars continued on. To his dismay apparently propelled by sheer force of habit the creeping circle continued edging ever onward in the same unceasing circle for 7 days and 7 nights. Finally exhaustion and starvation did them in. The moral of the story is that they were unable to break convention and venture out beyond their established Improving Federal Planning Today federal agencies are increasingly being asked to do more with less. Efficiency is vital to the goal of successfully implementing its mission. Thus to avoid going the way of the processionary caterpillars agencies must be open to new and more effective paradigms for complying with
