Abstract
ABSTRACTThe Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) are the lawyer's version of system engineering. But System engineering is a disciplined methodology for managing the risks and decisions involved in designing and implementing systems of optimum capability within the constraints of resources and time. Although it has come into widespread use in the defense industry and in some segments of the commercial industry this methodology has not been widely adopted by municipal governments as a tool for making decisions and managing complex projects. In this article I present a framework in which local governments can use the methods of system engineering to evaluate the environmental consequences of their projects. I shall illustrate this process by analyzing the tradeoffs in solid waste disposal. This analysis will show that by incorporating into the decision making process the environmental consequences of either landfilling or the conversion of solid waste to energy the public interest is best served with conversion to energy.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
