Science and Uncertainty in Environmental Regulation: Insights from the Evaluation of California’s Smog Check Program

The Umvermw of Ca/iforma Transpormtaon Center (UCTC) ,sane of ten regional ~.xt~ mandated by Congress and established in Fall 1988 to suppor~ research, educauon, and ~rmmng it, surface t~,ms-pormtmn. The UC Center serves federal Region IX and ts st.xpponed by rrmtchmg grants from the U.S. Department of Transportmaon, the California Department of Transportataon (Cakrans), and the Urdverstty Based on the Berkeley Campus, UCTC draws upon existing eapabilines and resources of the Insumt~ of Transportation Studies at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, and Los Amgeles, the Insumte of Urban and Regmnal Development a~ Berkeley, and several academic departments at ~he Berkeley, Dav~s, Irvine, and Los Angeles campuses. FaculD' and smaenrs on other Umvemty of Cahfomia campuses may participate In Center a~tivi~es. Researchers at other unive~ifies within the region also have oppotmrdfies to eollaborat~ with UC facudty on selected studies UCTC's educa~onal and research programs arc focused on strategic planrdng for improving merxopolimn accessibility, with emphasis on the special conditmns in Regmn IX. Partmul~r alXenfion is directed to strategms for using transportation as an instrument of ~onomic development, while also accommodating to the regmn's persistent expansmn and wrale maimmnmg and enhancing the qualat 7 of Ilfe there The Center distributes reports on its research in working papers monographs, and in repnnts of pubhshed m'ucles. It also pubhshes Acce.~s, a magazine presenting sum° manes of selected smthes. For a list of pubhcafions m pnnt, write to ',he address below the interest of information exchange. The IJ.S. Government assumes no |iabitit~ for t~e contents or use thereof. TI~ cont=n~ of this z~port retie= the vtsws of tl~ author who m z=spenmble for the fats mad accuracy of the dam t~semed hemm The conmn~,do not necess~'fly reflect the offieLd mews or pohez~ of the State of C~[fonua or the U S, Departm=nt of Transpormnon. Thr~ report does no~ conslatum a standard, spe:ffieatx~r~ or mgulauon. Environmental decision making is' a complex process confounded by technical uncertalnty~ politicai' pressure, and societal interests. New calls fo,~ environmental decision-making frameworks emphasize the need for an holistic approach that incorporates technical and non-technical expertise, and participation by all interested and affected parties. In this paper, we analyze the evaluation of an environmental regu-latorl, program to characterize the interaction of science and policy and the processing of uncer-taint?/using concepts from science and technology studies. This demonstrates the influence of institutional goals and commitments on the uptake and use of science and the processing …