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FW ECOL 515: Natural Resources Policy (Fall 2023) : In-Class Exercises

Examine Regulations.gov entries

Group 1, work in pairs and look at Entry R (Posted by the Fish and Wildlife Service on Nov 2, 2020): https://go.wisc.edu/8n1m0u

 

Group 2, work in pairs and look at Entry PR (Posted by the Fish and Wildlife Service on March 14, 2019): https://go.wisc.edu/ty5gf5

 

  1. Scroll down the entire entry.
  2. Identify at least two sections of the entry that would help you identify or answer research questions related to a policy.

Be prepared to discuss with the whole class!

Examine a Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report

Experimental Populations Under the Endangered Species Act and Gray Wolves, July 28, 2023:  https://go.wisc.edu/7ow338

This link takes you to a description of the report; scroll down to the heading PDF Full Text and click Replica of Original below that heading to view the full text of the report.

Identify two ways in which this CRS report differs from the regulations.gov entry you looked at earlier.

Be prepared to discuss with the whole class!

Policy basics

Professor Rissman asks you to answer a set of questions regarding each policy you write about.  This set is called the "policy basics." If you're not sure what to look for in a policy document, look for answers to these "policy basics" in the document. 

  1. Who is the decision maker?
  2. What level is the government? (federal, state, county, municipal)
  3. What is the type of policy? (law, executive order, regulation/rule, guidance, treaty, court ruling)
  4. What are the policy tools involved?
  5. What are the main laws that apply?
  6. Who are the main stakeholders and their positions?
  7. When is the timeframe for the decision and implementation process?
  8. Where does the policy apply?