Let’s face it – it can be frustrating to try and know who to talk to about issues you care about. You might be told by a decision maker that they can’t help you because the issue is outside their jurisdiction, or they don’t have decision-making power on it. To effectively engage in the democratic and policy-making process, it’s good to have a picture of the different types of decision-makers and what they can influence.
| What are you trying to influence? | Who is the best target? | What are your avenues for influence? |
|---|---|---|
| Rules & policy | Boards, agencies, commissions | Public hearings and meetings, written comments, oral testimony, join local boards or commissions |
| Laws & regulation | Legislators | Town hall meetings, lobby visits, petitions, phone calls, ballot initiatives, run for office |
| Public opinion | Media, friends, general public | LTEs, opeds, social media, peer network, public forums, rallies |
It’s important to know what governing bodies have influence over what decisions so you can plug in at the right place. Here are some examples:
County Government
| What entity? | Jurisdiction? | Where do they have additional influence? |
|---|---|---|
| Board of Commissioners (elected) | County laws and policies | State & federal government |
| Committees/Commissions (appointed by BoC) | Offer recommendations on policy to BoC, follow direction of BoC | |
| Ex: Planning Commission | UGB expansion, land use | |
| Ex: County Associations | Set policies and united direction for member counties | State & federal government |
| Ex: Assoc. of O&C Counties | Business affecting O&C counties, where they can present united front for more power |
State Government
| What entity? | Jurisdiction? | Where do they have additional influence? |
|---|---|---|
| Governor’s office (the Gov. and staff) | Signing legislation, setting direction for policy & legislature, recommendations to Boards/Commissions | Federal legislators, federal agencies |
| Legislators (elected) | Proposing and passing state law | |
| Commissions/Boards (appointed by Gov.) | Set policy or direct action by agencies | |
| Ex: Fish & Wildlife Commission | Wolf management plan | |
| Ex: State Land Board | Elliott State Forest decisions | |
| Ex: Board of Forestry | ||
| Agencies | Implementation of laws, plans, and policies. Recommendations to Boards/Commissions | Serve as experts for other levels |
| Ex: Dept. of State Lands | Lands and property that benefit the Common School Fund | |
| Ex: Dept. of Forestry | State and private forest lands management | |
| Ex: Dept. of Fish & Wildlife | Wildlife management |
Federal Government
| What entity? | Jurisdiction? | Where do they have additional influence? |
|---|---|---|
| The President (POTUS) | Veto legislation, executive orders, use of Antiquities Act, recommendations to agencies | International agreements |
| Legislators (elected) | Making laws that apply to federal public lands (and more) | State and county elected officials, local agencies |
| Congressional Committees | Decide which bills get hearings and how they get lumped together, amended, etc. | |
| Federal Courts | Deciding on matters of contested law, settling lawsuits | Agency direction |
| Administration/Agency Heads (appointed by POTUS) | Setting internal direction, creating high-level plans, implementing laws, setting policy | President, experts for legislators |
| Agencies | Implementation of laws, plans, and policies | |
| Ex: US Dept. of Agriculture | Forest Service | |
| Ex: US Dept. of the Interior | Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service, Fish & Wildlife | |
| Local agency offices | Implementing policies and plans. Site-specific analysis, planning, and decisions for on-the-ground activities like logging | |
| Ex: National Forests, BLM Districts |
Of course, the lines of command and influence are not always direct, and these different levels and entities can interact with each other in complicated ways. For example, even though a certain elected official or body doesn’t have authority over another one, they could send a letter or assert a position that may influence decision-making.
A few examples:
- City or county elected officials weighing in on a proposed National Monument or Wilderness area sends a message to Congress about local support or opposition. Industry lobbyists and environmental groups often solicit these endorsements.
- A congressional Representative might weigh in on a pending state law or on local agency decisions (like controversial timber sales) to influence decisions, even though they are not Congressional issues.
- Federal courts can force agencies to follow the law, which can result in the President or Congress getting involved to change the law or direction, and the agency to do a big planning process and policy change (as in the case of the Northwest Forest Plan).
