ABSTRACT
Whether enacting federal legislation that covers national environmental issues such as clean air or a local business that decides to sell only lumber that comes from new growth forests, setting environmental health policies is typically a complicated undertaking. In particular, establishing environmental health policies is crucial to protection of human health, ecosystems, and environmental quality. These policies can result from legislation of new laws, changes in existing regulations and ordinances, and voluntary actions adopted by community groups, businesses, and individuals. Different points of view are always expected during consideration of a new or revised environmental health policy. As a democratic process, informed debate is vital, but necessarily lengthens the time to ensure a particular environmental health policy.
