Anthony Janetos
Lessons Learned from the Acid Deposition Research Experience

I will speak from personal experience in the acid deposition research program sponsored by the federal agencies. My presentation focuses on four areas in which I believe important lessons have been learned:

Scientific lessons, particularly in the structure of environmental science research programs;

  • Policy and political lessons, particularly about the interaction of environmental science and policy making;
  • Institutional lessons about the interplay of federal agencies and the business community; and
  • Personal lessons about the importance of collaboration and multi-disciplinary thinking.

I argue that the scientific programs sponsored by the agencies did in fact make important contributions to the major policy decisions before the government in the late 1980's and early 1990's. The programs were perhaps not perfect, but the ultimate decisions were clearly better informed than they would have been otherwise. Issues that the research did not adequately address remain important environmental problems even today.