The Role of Public-Law Relations in the Implementation of Environmental Policy at the Local Level in the United States

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of key aspects of decentralization in the field of environmental policy in the United States, analysis of practical cases of implementation of environmental programs at the state level, and assessment of the potential for applying this experience in Ukraine. The purpose of the study is to comprehensively analyze the legal mechanisms of interaction between federal, state, and local governments in the United States. Particular attention is paid to identifying specific models and tools that can be adapted to Ukrainian realities, taking into account the unique features of the legal system and administrative and territorial structure of Ukraine.

The study uses comparative analysis methods to examine legal and organizational approaches in the United States and Ukraine, system analysis to assess the decentralization of environmental policy, and a case study method to analyze successful programs in states such as California and New York. The source base includes scientific papers, official documents, and reports on environmental policy in the United States and Ukraine.

The study showed that effective US environmental policy is based on a clear division of powers between federal, state, and local authorities, which ensures that national standards are adapted to local conditions. Successful examples, such as California's climate programs or New York's water infrastructure, demonstrate the role of decentralization, financial capacity, and community participation. The assessment of Ukrainian realities revealed that the potential for applying the American experience is significant, but its implementation requires adaptation to the conditions of limited resources, underdeveloped civil society, and low levels of environmental culture.

The US's experience in decentralization, community involvement in environmental management, and financing of environmental programs can be a valuable source of innovation for Ukraine. The scientific novelty of the article lies in a comparative analysis of the legal mechanisms of environmental policy in the United States and Ukraine, in particular, in identifying the key aspects of adapting the American experience to Ukrainian realities. For the first time, the paper proposes an approach to the integration of elements of US environmental federalism into the Ukrainian system of environmental management, including improvement of the legal framework, creation of financial instruments to support local communities, and development of mechanisms for public participation in environmental policy.