ANALYZING THE HUMAN IMPACT OF BLM’S DECISIONS Meeting of BLM’s Colorado Resource Advisory...

ANALYZING THE HUMAN ANALYZING THE HUMAN IMPACT OF BLM’S DECISIONSIMPACT OF BLM’S DECISIONS

Meeting of BLM’s Colorado Meeting of BLM’s Colorado Resource Advisory CouncilsResource Advisory Councils

Grand Junction, ColoradoGrand Junction, Colorado

February 2009February 2009

Rob Winthrop and John CossaRob Winthrop and John CossaDivision of Decision Support, Planning & Division of Decision Support, Planning &

NEPANEPA

Bureau of Land Management, Washington, Bureau of Land Management, Washington, D.C.D.C.

How to obtain and convey information How to obtain and convey information on the human context and on the human context and

consequences consequences of BLM actions. . .of BLM actions. . .

. . . that is valid, cost-effective, and . . . that is valid, cost-effective, and relevant to management relevant to management

challenges?challenges?

What are the social What are the social sciences?sciences?

The social sciences comprise a group The social sciences comprise a group of disciplines that study human life in of disciplines that study human life in its social context, each with its social context, each with distinctive methods and theory, and distinctive methods and theory, and specific areas of relevance for specific areas of relevance for resource management. resource management.

EconomicsEconomics examines how resources examines how resources are allocated under conditions of are allocated under conditions of scarcity, primarily through market scarcity, primarily through market transactions. transactions.

SociologySociology focuses on the focuses on the organization and values of social organization and values of social groups. groups.

Cultural anthropologyCultural anthropology describes describes social life as shaped by distinctive social life as shaped by distinctive systems of meaning, such as those systems of meaning, such as those guiding the subsistence economies of guiding the subsistence economies of many Native Alaskan communities.many Native Alaskan communities.

Human geographyHuman geography examines how examines how the characteristics of land and the characteristics of land and resources shape human activity, from resources shape human activity, from local to global scales. local to global scales.

Political sciencePolitical science is concerned with is concerned with systems of governance, authority, and systems of governance, authority, and decision-making. decision-making.

Decision scienceDecision science is an is an interdisciplinary subject that develops interdisciplinary subject that develops tools to structure defensible decision-tools to structure defensible decision-making, typically involving complex making, typically involving complex criteria under conditions of criteria under conditions of uncertainty.uncertainty.

>> Clarify Mandates <<

Link to Management Activities

Conduct a Needs Assessment

Take Corrective Action

STRATEGIES FOR STRENGTHENING STRATEGIES FOR STRENGTHENING BLM’S SOCIAL SCIENCE CAPABILITIESBLM’S SOCIAL SCIENCE CAPABILITIES

Federal Land Policy and Federal Land Policy and Management ActManagement Act

How should lands and resources be used?How should lands and resources be used? Achieve multiple use while preserving a Achieve multiple use while preserving a

range of environmental and social values.range of environmental and social values. Seek consistency with state & local plans.Seek consistency with state & local plans. Example: How can Oregon BLM pExample: How can Oregon BLM provide a

sustainable supply of timber and other forest products that will help maintain the stability of local and regional economies? (WOPR Goal 2)

National Environmental Policy National Environmental Policy ActAct

What are the effects of management actions?

Analyze alternatives, considering Analyze alternatives, considering social and economic impacts.social and economic impacts.

Example: If commercial oil shale Example: If commercial oil shale production returns to the Green River production returns to the Green River Basin, how many workers from Basin, how many workers from outside the region will be needed? outside the region will be needed?

Government Performance and Government Performance and Results ActResults Act

Are BLM’s plans and programs effective and efficient?

Determine program effectiveness, including Determine program effectiveness, including cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness.cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness.

Example: In achieving fire management goals, Example: In achieving fire management goals, is it more cost-effective to emphasize fuels is it more cost-effective to emphasize fuels treatment or fire suppression? treatment or fire suppression?

Example: Based on visitor intercept surveys of Example: Based on visitor intercept surveys of customer satisfaction, are BLM’s recreation customer satisfaction, are BLM’s recreation programs achieving their objectives?programs achieving their objectives?

Social and Environmental Social and Environmental AccountabilityAccountability

Do BLM’s actions support the long-term Do BLM’s actions support the long-term viability of environmental and social viability of environmental and social systems?systems?

Work with public and private partners to Work with public and private partners to ensure sustainable land use policies at a ensure sustainable land use policies at a large scale. large scale.

Example: What biological, economic, and Example: What biological, economic, and institutional factors encourage rangeland institutional factors encourage rangeland fragmentation? fragmentation?

Clarify Mandates

>> Link to Management Activities <<




Identify the Identify the implications for implications for communities and communities and user groups for user groups for alternatives alternatives under: under: Western Oregon Western Oregon

Plan RevisionPlan Revision Farmington RMPFarmington RMP Kobuk – Seward Kobuk – Seward

Peninsula RMPPeninsula RMP

Preparing resource Preparing resource management plansmanagement plans

Identify and help Identify and help mitigate the social mitigate the social and economic and economic impacts of projects impacts of projects such as: such as: Jonah Infill Drilling Jonah Infill Drilling

EISEIS Southern Nevada Southern Nevada

Water Authority EIS Water Authority EIS Oil Shale / Tar Sands Oil Shale / Tar Sands

Programmatic EISProgrammatic EIS

Implementing projectsImplementing projects

Managing recreation demand Managing recreation demand

Manage conflicts Manage conflicts between forms of between forms of recreationrecreation

Assess the values Assess the values and attitudes of and attitudes of different different recreational usersrecreational users

Supporting tribal, state, Supporting tribal, state, and local developmentand local development

Coordinate BLM’s Coordinate BLM’s plans “with the land plans “with the land use planning and use planning and management management programs of . . . the programs of . . . the States and local States and local governments within governments within which the lands are which the lands are located” FLPMA located” FLPMA §§202(c)(9)202(c)(9)

Managing wildland fire riskManaging wildland fire risk

Anticipate Anticipate residential growth residential growth patternspatterns Assess community Assess community attitudes toward attitudes toward fuels treatment fuels treatment

Managing subsistence Managing subsistence resourcesresources

Give priority to Give priority to customary uses of customary uses of fish, wildlife, and other fish, wildlife, and other renewables (ANILCA)renewables (ANILCA) For effective For effective management, obtain management, obtain detailed knowledge of detailed knowledge of local economies and local economies and social systemssocial systems

Meeting environmental Meeting environmental justice mandatesjustice mandates

Identify Identify disproportionate disproportionate adverse impacts to adverse impacts to low-income, low-income, minority, or tribal minority, or tribal populations (EO populations (EO 12898, 1994)12898, 1994)

Four Corners Power Plant

Supporting effective public Supporting effective public participationparticipation

Describe affected Describe affected groupsgroups

Survey attitudes Survey attitudes and usesand uses

Identify strategies Identify strategies to reduce barriers to reduce barriers to participation, to participation, such as languagesuch as language

Assessing socio-economic Assessing socio-economic trendstrends

Assess social and Assess social and economic trends economic trends that can provide that can provide early warning of early warning of management management challengeschallenges

Job Growth – Mesa County, ColoradoJob Growth – Mesa County, Colorado

Clarify Mandates


>> Conduct a Needs Assessment <<



Social Science Needs Social Science Needs AssessmentAssessment

In 2006 the BLM initiated a national social science In 2006 the BLM initiated a national social science needs assessment. needs assessment.

An oversight committee of managers and An oversight committee of managers and program staff was established to guide the program staff was established to guide the assessment.assessment.

The committee selected an external team of The committee selected an external team of seven social scientists to conduct the assessment. seven social scientists to conduct the assessment.

The external team has reviewed documents, The external team has reviewed documents, conducted a phone survey of over 1,200 BLM conducted a phone survey of over 1,200 BLM staff, and interviewed 90 resource advisory staff, and interviewed 90 resource advisory council members. (Since Wyoming has no RACs, a council members. (Since Wyoming has no RACs, a comparable sample was selected.) comparable sample was selected.)

The assessment team’s tasks:The assessment team’s tasks: describe BLM’s current social science capabilitiesdescribe BLM’s current social science capabilities define what social science capabilities are define what social science capabilities are

needed, based on internal and external input and needed, based on internal and external input and the team’s professional judgment the team’s professional judgment

identify and prioritize deficiencies.identify and prioritize deficiencies. The oversight committee will use these The oversight committee will use these

findings to prepare an action plan for findings to prepare an action plan for strengthening BLM’s social science strengthening BLM’s social science capabilities, within realistic budget capabilities, within realistic budget constraints. constraints.

Findings of interviews with Findings of interviews with Resource Advisory Council Resource Advisory Council

membersmembers

Participating Resource Advisory Council Participating Resource Advisory Council members members

by stakeholder group and RAC categoryby stakeholder group and RAC category

Importance of social and economic issues Importance of social and economic issues in advising the BLMin advising the BLM

Have RAC members worked with BLM to Have RAC members worked with BLM to address address

social and economic issues?social and economic issues?

Has the BLM adequately addressed the Has the BLM adequately addressed the economic, social, and EJ effects of its economic, social, and EJ effects of its

decisions?decisions?

Is the BLM supportive of community Is the BLM supportive of community development objectives?development objectives?

Overall satisfaction with BLM’s economic Overall satisfaction with BLM’s economic and social analysis for resource and social analysis for resource

management decisions?management decisions?

Findings of telephone survey of Findings of telephone survey of BLM employeesBLM employees

Value of social science information . . .?Value of social science information . . .?

At the state or Washington Office level, At the state or Washington Office level, for policy decisions – for policy decisions – 46%46% indicated indicated “high” or “very high” (five-point scale)“high” or “very high” (five-point scale)

At the district office level, for EISs & At the district office level, for EISs & RMPs – RMPs – 66%66% indicated “high” or “very indicated “high” or “very high”high”

At the field office level – At the field office level – 61%61% indicated indicated “high” or “very high”“high” or “very high”

How well is social science information used. . How well is social science information used. . .?.?

For project implementation – For project implementation – 23%23% indicated “well” or “very well” (five-point indicated “well” or “very well” (five-point scale)scale)

For land use planning – For land use planning – 38%38% indicated indicated “well” or “very well”“well” or “very well”

For trend monitoring – For trend monitoring – 19%19% indicated indicated “well” or “very well”“well” or “very well”

For meeting local and tribal community For meeting local and tribal community development objectives – development objectives – 30%30% indicated indicated “well” or “very well”“well” or “very well”

Factors posing a barrier to using social Factors posing a barrier to using social science information across the BLM . . .?science information across the BLM . . .?

Competing priorities – Competing priorities – 28%28% Lack of funding – Lack of funding – 25%25% Not a priority for managers – Not a priority for managers – 13%13% Insufficient training – Insufficient training – 9%9% Sources of social and economic Sources of social and economic

information – information – 6%6%

How would you improve the use of How would you improve the use of social science without new staffing?social science without new staffing?

Training existing staff – Training existing staff – 24%24% Contract with outside agencies – Contract with outside agencies – 9%9% Conduct surveys of public opinion, more s/s Conduct surveys of public opinion, more s/s

research generally – research generally – 8%8% Increase awareness of social science – Increase awareness of social science – 6%6% Increase communication with public through Increase communication with public through

scoping and collaboration – scoping and collaboration – 5%5% Develop manuals, toolboxes, guidelines – Develop manuals, toolboxes, guidelines – 5%5% [No opinion – [No opinion – 15%]15%]

Clarify Mandates



>> Take Corrective Action <<


Moving forward, what further Moving forward, what further advice do you have for improving advice do you have for improving

BLM’s use of social science BLM’s use of social science information?information?

Thank you for your Thank you for your assistance!assistance!

For further information, contact:

Dr. Rob WinthropSenior Social ScientistDivision of Decision Support, Planning, and NEPABureau of Land Management1849 C Street, NW (Mail Stop 850LS)Washington, D.C. 20240202-557-3587; [email protected]

[soc-econ rpt to RACs 1b Winthrop – Cossa 2-8-09.ppt]

ANALYZING THE HUMAN IMPACT OF BLM’S DECISIONS Meeting of BLM’s Colorado Resource Advisory...

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