Citizen Advisory Committees and Environmental Policy: What we Know, What's Left to Discover

Reviews 14 empirical studies of Citizen Advisory Committees (CACs) involved in environmental policy decisions (spanning 1976-1994), including case studies, large-scale surveys, and consultant reports. For each study consideration is given to the methods of study, the issues considered by the CACs, the organizations advised, the definitions of success used in the study, and the suggested factors contributing to the success, or lack of success, experienced by the CACs. The influence of CACs on policy outcomes has varied from case to case, with some accomplishing little and others having significant policy impacts. The increased use of CACs by government and industry presents an excellent opportunity for academics and practitioners to strengthen their understanding of the internal processes and capabilities of CACs through comparative evaluation research.