ABSTRACT
With any process of public involvement, public managers must eventually select specific techniques for engaging the public, choosing among options such as public comment periods, public meetings, citizens' advisory committees, and various forms of public deliberation. This chapter examines the nature of each of these techniques, defining the technique, reviewing variants, considering advantages and disadvantages, and offering counsel on when and how to use each. With any process of public involvement, public managers must eventually select specific techniques for engaging the public, choosing among options such as public comment periods, public meetings, citizens' advisory committees, and various forms of public deliberation. Public comment periods represent a minimalist approach to involving the public in decision making. As a vehicle for public involvement and influence, public comment periods suffer from several shortcomings. Public comment periods figured prominently in land-use management planning for the Monongahela National Forest of West Virginia in the 1980s.
