POLLUTION, POLITICAL AGENDAS, AND POLICY WINDOWS - ENVIRONMENTAL-POLICY ON THE EVE OF SILENT SPRING

The objective of this paper is to illustrate that concern over environ mental pollution became a significant national issue in the United Sta tes during the late 1950s, many years earlier than is typically acknow ledged by environmental historians and policy analysts. Kingdon's mode l of agenda development is used to document how air and water pollutio n was transformed from an issue of local concern and control to an iss ue of national significance during the 1950s. The analysis focuses on two case studies: the development of pollution as a political issue in the state of New Jersey; and the development of pollution as a signif icant policy issue in the national political arena. Political leaders both within New Jersey and nationwide linked pollution control to othe r contemporary concerns about urban decay and suburban growth in order to win the allegiance of undecided voters. Pollution control became p art of the debate over the role of the federal government in addressin g urban ills. Concern about pollution also became important in the gen eral restructuring of the US political landscape in this period, helpi ng to set the stage for Democratic Party activism on the environment a nd other issues after 1960.