Public policy disputes involving comp1e.x scientific issues usually entail conflicts not only over those scientific issues but also over the distribution o gains and losses. The presence o scientific or technical dimensions to a dispute should not be allowed to mask underlying distributional considerations. On the other hand science-intensive disputes require special attention. Merely resolving distributional conflicts without and potentially dangerous results. The usual adversarial approach that characterizes the handling o such disputes by agencies and courts is less than ideal or creating an understanding o scientific evidence or the resolution o scientific differences. A process o mediation already applied in a number o significant cases offers strong promise as a superior approach.