ENVIRONMENTAL ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

Local governments have to promote environmental activities in citizen and private companies, and to take the initiative to environmental sound action. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between awareness and attitudes of local governments about environmental activities, and to discuss the environmental sustainability in community. Questionnaires were sent to 97 local governments in Fukuoka Prefecture, and responses were received from 81.4% of them. We found that the environmental policy and statement of local governments are constant for a few years, and they have major concern that the support to voluntary action by citizen and companies is important. In spite of the progressive understanding of environmental management system, the implementation and operation of the system were not performed. As the subjects in environmental administration, it was indicated that the small-scale governments were puzzled for lack of the number of special staff and budget. To be effective, it is need to assist relatively small-scale towns and villages by the prefectural government.