ABSTRACT
Power plant siting decisions are quite obviously major actions significantly affecting the human environment. In most states power plant siting decisions, like many others involving development and land use, exhibit characteristics of what has been called a "permit explosion," various aspects of the siting decision being subject to review and approval by a variety of governments and agencies. Citizens and groups that get involved usually regard the power plant siting decision as concerning a single independent facility, and a very local environment. Power plant siting controversies in the western states have seldom been approached by the public in terms of energy needs as related to quality of life. State and federal government involvement in limited aspects of energy development decision making has been going on for many years. The chapter offers the following conclusions about citizen participation in regulation of power plant siting.
