Comparative Risk and Public Values. P. Mariella, Department of Environmental Quality, Gila River Indian Community
The Arizona Comparative Environmental Risk Project (ACERP) conducted a statewide research effort to better understand the values of Arizonans concerning the environment. Much of the coverage in the local media had suggested that Arizonans are highly polarized on environmental issues. Identifying and developing consensus was a major goal of the comparative risk process in order to reduce this polarization. In order to have an accurate determination of the distribution and in-depth understanding of the nature of values, ACERP used both quantitative (survey, including rural populations, are much less polarized on environmental issues than anticipated. These findings are consistent with results fr) and qualitative (focus groups) methods in the assessment. The results of the Public Values Assessment suggest that Arizonans om current research on environmental values being conducted on a national scale.