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TIns artIcle mtroduces a novel model of pubhc partICipatIon ID pohtIcal decisions Structured ID three consecutive steps, the model IS based on the View that stakeholders, experts, and cItizens should each contnbute to the plannmg effort their partIcular expertIse and expenence Stakeholders are valuable resources for elICItIng concerns and developmg evaluatIve cntena smce theIr mterests are at stake and they have already made attempts to structure and approach the Issue Experts are necessary to proVide the data base and the functIonal relatIonshIps between OptIOns and Impacts CItIzens are the potentIal VictIms and benefactors of proposed plannmg measures, they are the best Judges to evaluate the dIfferent optIons avaIlable on the basIS of the concerns and Impacts revealed through the other two groups The three-step model has been developed and frequently applIed as a plannmg tool m West Germany We compare tIns expenence WIth the model's first apphcatIon m the UOlted States, and conclude that the three-step procedure offers a IImtted, but prolDls1Og future for democrattzmg polIcy makmg m the UOlted States

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A broad assessment is provided of the current state of knowledge regarding the risks associated with shale gas development and their governance. For the principal domains of risk, we identify observed and potential hazards and promising mitigation options to address them, characterizing current knowledge and research needs. Important unresolved research questions are identified for each area of risk; however, certain domains exhibit especially acute deficits of knowledge and attention, including integrated studies of public health, ecosystems, air quality, socioeconomic impacts on communities, and climate change. For these, current research and analysis are insufficient to either confirm or preclude important impacts. The rapidly evolving landscape of shale gas governance in the U.S. is also assessed, noting challenges and opportunities associated with the current decentralized (state-focused) system of regulation. We briefly review emerging approaches to shale gas governance in other nations, and consider new governance initiatives and options in the U.S. involving voluntary industry certification, comprehensive development plans, financial instruments, and possible future federal roles. In order to encompass the multiple relevant disciplines, address the complexities of the evolving shale gas system and reduce the many key uncertainties needed for improved management, a coordinated multiagency federal research effort will need to be implemented.