Wind Energy & Health in Oregon
2015
This case study explores governance for health issues through the example of Oregon’s first health impact assessment (HIA) and the health effects of wind energy farms on local residents. The case focuses on how a small public health staff managed the HIA’s large workload and how that team worked to incorporate the perspectives of a diverse—and sometimes opposed—set of stakeholders, most notably grassroots opposition groups and representatives of the renewable energy sector. This case exposes students to the challenges of assessing new and potentially transformative public policies involving multiple stakeholders and interest groups from both within and outside of government.
The case is part of a series produced by the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Case Program, hosted by the HKS Strengthening Learning and Teaching Excellence (SLATE) initiative, the world’s largest producer and repository of case studies designed for teaching about how government works and how public policy is made. Each case in the series is designed to train public leaders, and introduces actual policy dilemmas along with data to equip students to learn how to apply the rigor of quantitative analysis in the real world.
This case may be purchased for a nominal fee; registered educators may obtain a free review copy. Online supplemental resources include short free documents and videos on how to teach with the case method, as well as downloadable related tip sheets and questions for class discussion.
Wind Energy & Health in Oregon
Source:
Howitt A. Oregon’s Wind Energy Health Impact Assessment. HKS Case No. 2038.0. Harvard Kennedy School Case Program 2015. http://case.hks.harvard.edu/oregon-s-wind-energy-health-impact-assessment.