WASTE MANAGEMENT AGENDA-SETTING - A CASE OF INCORRECT PROBLEM DEFINITION

This paper uses Rochefort and Cobb's anatomy of problem and Kingdon's agenda building model to explain how capacity issues involving hazardo us and solid wastes found their way onto the agendas of the United Sta tes Congress and the State of Tennessee General Assembly Through this case study several conclusions are offered about agenda building, prob lem definition, capacity assurance planning and the implications of en vironmental problems reaching agenda status through political avenues. First, although scientific or technical assertions are often necessar y for an environmental issue to reach policy agenda status, neither ap plies in this case. Instead, political issues (e.g. the perceived fail ure to site management facilities) prevailed. Second, the outcome of t he solution (capacity assurance planning) crystallized problems that w ere not perceived as problems but might have proven to be and raised t he question of incorrect problem identification. Third, capacity assur ance planning is a useful analytical tool but should also be viewed as a valid planning exercise. Finally, sustainability and commitment to solving environmental problems even though they may arise through poli tical avenues are crucial.