An Examination of the Four Paradigms of Policy Implementation as It Applies to the United States Air Force: The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
Date
2010-12
Authors
Boggess, Charles Joseph
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Abstract
Since the founding of the United States of America issues surrounding the environment and its protection have had a significant impact on our society. This study focuses on the United States Air Force's (USAF) implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The USAF complies with NEPA through the USAF Environmental Impact Analysis Process (EIAP) established by the Air Force Instruction (AFI) 32-7061. The purpose of the study was to examine the Ambiguity-Conflict Model's four paradigms of policy implementation as it applies to the USAF and the process of steps and key terms outlined in the EIAP. Through the lens of Dr. Richard E. Matland's (1995) Ambiguity-Conflict Model of Policy Implementation concerns of policy implementation were identified within the EIAP. By using the Conflict Ambiguity Model each process step and key terms were categorized by way of the four paradigms of policy implementation. In addition, qualitative analysis was utilized to determine whether the geographic location of the installation itself or the designation of the different Environmental Protection Agency Regions affected the implementation of the EIAP. The study concluded that applying the Ambiguity-Conflict Model of Policy Implementation that three out of four paradigms best describes the implementation of the EIAP and that geographic location of USAF installations does affect implementation.
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Keywords
Air Force, environmentatl impact analysis, environmental law
Citation
Boggess, C. J. (2010). An examination of the four paradigms of policy implementation as it applies to the United States Air Force: the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Unpublished dissertation). Texas State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, Texas.