Civil Engineers Influencing Public Policy: Proceedings of the Sessions Sponsored by the Construction Division of the American Society of Civil Engineers in Conjunction With the Asce National

The papers in this proceedings were presented at the ASCE Annual Convention held in Washington, DC, November 10-14, 1996. They were prepared in celebration of the 25th anniversary, the Silver Jubilee, of the Committee on Social and Environmental Concerns in Construction of the Construction Division, ASCE. Twenty-five years ago, on April 18, 1971, the Executive Committee of the Construction Division authorized the formation of this committee. The purpose was to collect and disseminate information to the members of our Society and to individuals and groups, and to formulate guidelines on ways to improve or remedy the aesthetics, social and environmental effects of Construction. These papers highlight some of the activities undertaken by the Committee over the past 25 years. They include such items as: the development of alternative dispute resolution as part of the construction process; the advancement of environmentally-oriented construction issues; the discussion of environmental quality and the infrastructure; and the evolution of public policy as related to construction safety. For taking the lead in these, and many other issues, it has become generally recognized that the civil engineer is in the forefront when it comes to the protection of the environment throughout the world.