Stakeholder Participation in Voluntary Environmental Agreements: Analysis of 10 Project XL Case Studies

Abstract

This article examines stakeholder involvement and influence as part of voluntary environmental agreements between regulatory agencies and companies. Ten pilot projects that were part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Project XL (excellence and leadership) were examined to evaluate process goals (fairness and competence) and outcome goals (trust and incorporation of public values in decisions). The ten case studies encompass a range of businesses, locations, and ideas for regulatory “reinvention” projects, and they span a spectrum of stakeholder participation processes and outcomes. Although results point to numerous problems in implementation, they also indicate that in several cases, stake holder groups significantly affected the final project agreement (FPA) and enforceable permit. The evidence suggests that companies can work collaboratively and constructively with residents of local communities, members of national environmental organizations and other interest groups, and government regulatory officials to craft voluntary environmental agreements that are cooperative and environmentally beneficial.