Policy planning covers the function of planners who serve as general program/policy planners, either within traditional planning agencies or with legislative offices as advisors to managers or elected officials. This option emphasizes general understanding of political and economic systems with special application to environmental problems. Examples of topics addressed by students in this option include evaluation of recycling strategies for local governments, implications of "superfund" designation on regional development opportunities and assessment of the environmental impacts of state-wide hazardous waste siting criteria.