University professors edit ‘green’ book

Two university public administration and environmental policy experts have found examples of how Southern states use unique methods to address environmental issues while dealing with growth. Edited by environmental and public policy authorities Gerald Emison of Mississippi State University and John Morris of Old Dominion University, “Speaking Green with a Southern Accent” (Lexington Press, 2010) examines how state agencies and local governments address issues such as smog control, wastewater management, and hazardous waste site cleanup.

Through their book, Emison and Morris show the South as a region that has embraced growth, shunned conventional regulatory methods to manage pollution, and “sought innovative approaches” for environmental protection. While pointing out creativity in environmental policy in the region, the book also acknowledges limits of innovation and the “danger of relying solely on low-funded, anti-regulatory environmental management practices,” Emison said.

Emison is an MSU associate professor of political science and public administration. Morris, a professor of urban studies and public administration at Old Dominion, researches expenditures and capital project effectiveness in advancing environmental protection.