ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces many of the issues that a municipal official will encounter when handling environmental planning. It provides an introduction and practical approach to environmental planning so that readers can get immersed in the basics and knows what to be aware of as they move into real world planning efforts. The chapter divides into two parts; it will first review the history of government action in American environmental planning and then provide a discussion of the multiple policy areas that local government officials should have as a concern as they move forward with municipal planning efforts. The environment relates to air, water, and land use for areas that are natural/undeveloped, working landscapes and built environments. Policies and conventions regarding global climate change add a new dimension to local government environmental planning. In addition to legislation, there are a couple of other ways that the federal government impacts environmental planning.
