Collaboration of Federal Agencies at Contaminated Communities

[Carolyn Offutt <offutt.carolyn@epa.gov>]

EPA worked with DOE and ATSDR/HHS over a three-year period to support a Cooperative Agreement for a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on how public participation worked at "contaminated communities" ? most of which were Superfund sites.  The report for the completed study, entitled "Public Participation in Contaminated Communities," is available on the MIT Technology and Law Program's Web site at http://web.mit.edu/ctpid/www/tl/TL-pub-PPCC.html

The following is an Abstract:

The study examines seven current, ongoing cases of public participation across a broad spectrum of contaminated communities in which the experiences were considered relatively successful by both government agencies and the communities. The study sought to better understand the determinants of successful public involvement in communities where: (1) site characterization, cleanup options, and economic redevelopment were issues of concern and, in some cases, of conflict; (2) more than one federal agency was involved; (3) state and local agencies were also involved; and (4) environmental justice was often an issue.

The purposes of the study were to: (1) identify those factors most important to, and essential for, successful community involvement, (2) evaluate or suggest initiatives to further enhance successful public participation, and (3) identify options for more successful interaction and coordination of federal, state, and local agencies in their efforts to promote environmental and public health goals in contaminated communities. The study focused on initiatives which (1) provide for more, or more predictable, and better communication (2) build skills and capability in the community, (3) provide for increased community participation in, and access to, government decisions. Special attention was paid to public participation problems in low-income and minority communities with disproportionate environmental burdens (i.e., Aenvironmental justice@ communities), special attention was paid to mechanisms for improving interagency coordination at all levels of government.

Carolyn