ABSTRACT
Any attempt to explain environmental policy in the United States must begin with an appreciation that the topic is complex, confusing, replete with contradictions, and probably not explainable in the first place. The fabric of policy is woven from an amazing array of threads, each exerting significant control on the system. They include jurisdictions, land tenure, public attitudes, lobbies, litigation, economics, and the occupant of the White House, to name but a few.
