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Figure 6 - LEVELS OF INVOLVEMENT IN DECISIONMAKING 



PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ^ , DECISION MAKIN^ 



Be Informed of Be Heard Before Influence the Agree to the 



the Decision the Decisions Decision Decision 



As suggested in Figure 6, there are different mechanisms for involving the public in 

 decisions, depending on the amount of influence individuals and groups expect to exert 

 on the decision. At one end of the spectrum, groups are simply kept informed of 

 decisions that have been made through a public information program. Moving further 

 along the spectrum, individuals and groups are given the opportimity to comment 

 upon alternatives in formal processes such as public hearings or public comment 

 periods. They are heard before the decision is made, but agencies retain full 

 decisionmaking authority. Still further along the spectrum, the agencies choose to have 

 extensive consultation with the stakeholders. In some cases the agencies make actually 

 seek as broad a consensus as possible before making a decision, dep>ending on how 

 much support is required for a decision to be implemented. This consultation/ 

 consensus-seeking process would require a full and complete public involvement 

 process, with stakeholders involved in every phase of the dedsionnuiking process. Not 

 every stakeholder would necessarily agree with the decision, but they would dearly 

 have had opportunities to influence the dedsion. 



Final Draft - September 15, 1993 48 



