ABSTRACT
The assessment of economic-demographic impacts--while long a requirement--has also undergone considerable change in the methodology used, and the factors which must be considered. During the last ten years the nature of planning has changed substantially with the addition of requirements for public involvement, preparation of environmental impact statements, and social impact assessment. Public involvement--which is an assessment of public acceptability--environmental assessment, social assessment, and economic-demographic assessment are all part of the same process of identifying the benefits and costs inherent in the proposed action. The planners or engineers define the options, then the public involvement specialists, environmental, scientists, economists, demographers, and sociologists assess the impacts. The need to get information ready for public involvement provides a focus which can be otherwise missing, coming together only in an Environmental impact assessment at the end of the process. Public involvement is also a mechanism for obtaining information from the public.
