INTERPRETIVE CONTENT ANALYSIS 341To understand the link between story line and the relevance of information, I considered docu-
ment structure as the starting point for analysis, including what it indicates about the affected
environment. Starting from the two different possible points of departure, resource programs and
wilderness study areas, I identified the logics of each for including particular kinds of informa-
tion. Table 19.1 shows how each of these starting points creates a different focus and logic for
making decisions about what information to include in an EIS.
The resource program and study area structures differ in their starting points, assumptions
about the affected environment, and basis for including and excluding information in the EISs.
The logical basis for decisions about including resource programs and study areas in the analyses
differs, then, based on the structure of the document. The resource program structure creates the
potential to exclude study areas in the context of programs. The study area structure creates the
potential to exclude resource programs in the context of study areas. Where the analysis starts with
resource programs, any resource that has a place in the organizational chart is included in the analy-
sis, and study areas are included based on whether a particular resource is present in that area.
Where the analysis starts with study areas, all study areas are included, and field offices include only
those resources present in the areas and potentially affected by wilderness designation.
To understand the implications of this analysis for practice, I examined the EISs to assess the
inclusion and exclusion of information about various resource programs. Resources were to be
removed from the field analyses when impacts were not anticipated in either direction (develop-
ment affecting wilderness values; wilderness designation affecting development). In many cases,
the number of resources identified for analysis decreased, and specific information about some
resources was eliminated from final documents based on assessments of “no impacts.” The BLM
included a statement at the beginning of each EIS identifying the resources that did not involve
Table 19.1
Inclusion and Exclusion of Information Based on Structure
EIS content Resource program structure Study area structure
Starting point All BLM resource programs. All wilderness study areas.
Assumptions about All resource programs All study areas potentially
affected environment potentially affected by affected by designation
designation
Resulting rationale for EISs as vehicle for reporting EISs as vehicle for reporting
including and excluding findings for resource programs. findings for study areas.
information in findings BLM personnel decide whether BLM personnel decide
to include study areas whether to include resources
and programs
Logical basis for If resource present in If resource exists in study area
including resources organizational chart, then and is potentially affected by
include resource designation, then include
resource
Logical basis for If resource exists in study area, If study area identified in
including study areas then include study area inventory, then include study
area
Source: Ginger 2000, 300.