Post on 04-Jan-2016
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Cleaning it Up:The Role of Culture, Community & Values
Pat Munday, PhDProfessor of Science & Technology Studies
pmunday@mtech.edu
http://ecorover.blogspot.com
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America’s Largest Superfund Site
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Montana NRDP
Silver Bow Creek (before)
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NRDP Photo
Toxic Wasteland
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NRDP Photo
Tailings Removal
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Stream Reconstruction
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Authentic Restoration
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Timeline of Superfund Process
• 1980: Superfund (CERCLA, NPL)
• 1982: Silver Bow Creek studied; NPL
• 1983-93: in-depth studies; alternatives developed (state as lead agency)
• 1994: Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (up to $87 mill for remedy)
• 1995: Record of Decision
• 1999: NRD settlement
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Public Participation: Overview
• Phase I: “The Fourth Branch” (1982-88)– The Montana Standard (Foote and O’Brien)– U.S. Representative Pat Williams– Inception of “the restoration economy”
• Phase II: “Thick Democracy,” 1989-2000– EPA realizes obligation for public participation– Rise & fall of CTEC (“Citizens Technical
Environmental Committee”) TAG– Competition with B-SB
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1 2 43 65 7
80
70
60
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40
30
20
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Estimated Cost (1995 dollars) for Alternative Remedies
Proposed Remedy
Mil
lio
ns
of
Do
llar
s
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Key Issues
• STARS– “Streambank Tailings and Revegetation
Studies:” in situ treatment– Reclamation Research Unit, MSU + Schafer &
Associates
• Waste repository– Many small vs. one large regional
(Opportunity or Browns Gulch)– Initial ROD: many small repositories…
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Alternatives “Remedies”
• The Greenway– MERDI (ARCO-funded)– Suspicion of co-option
• Supported by BLDC, ALDC, BSB Chamber of Commerce, B-SB & A-DL government
– Little explicit public support (18/321)
• ARCO Alternative – Little public support (18/321)
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Support re: “Greenway”
Don Peoples, MERDI
• “…[the proposed alternative] seems unreasonable and dangerous… [It] eliminates the likelihood that ARCO will participate in the building of a greenway.”
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Public Suspicion re: “Greenway”
George Waring, CTEC• “…the MERDI “Greenway” proposal has
introduced an element of major confusion”• “…local governments appeared to be
basing their non-acceptance of the State’s proposed cleanup mainly on the political activity and all-out public relations campaign undertaken by MERDI and ARCO.”
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Public Participation in ROD
• CTEC’s public meetings, newsletters
• 321 total comments
• STARS: 36 for; 144 against
• Waste repository: Public comment favored Berkeley Pit/Yankee Doodle Tailings Pond; opposed Brown’s Gulch
• Majority (174/321) for Alt. 6 or 7
• Organizations commenting: 31
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Record of Decision
• State preferred Alternative 6
• Alt. 6 chosen (with initial changes + more w/ NRDP)
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Actor Network Theory
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Actor Network Theory
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Actor Network Theory
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Actor Network Theory
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Actor Network Theory
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Actor Network Theory
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Actor Network Theory
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Actor Network Theory
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Grassroots Alliances
CTEC (Butte)
CLEJ (Butte) MEIC (Helena)
CF-POC (Missoula)
MTAC (Missoula)
MT-TU (Missoula)
TU-WC (Missoula)
MTWF (Helena)
NWF
SSAI (Butte)
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Participation: Culture & Values
• Usual Frame– Utilitarianism vs. Environmentalism– Utilitarianism as economic, corporate model: “nature” is
just another resource to be used as we see fit– Environmentalism: ecocentric, or nature-for-nature’s sake
• Another Frame: Cultural History & Politics– Butte’s “above/below ground” perspective– Grassroots similar to union solidarity
• Butte vs. other Superfund sites, e.g. Silver Valley
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The author thanks the National Science Foundation for supporting this work (Award ID 0646731).
Questions?America’s largest Superfund site
Silver Bow Creek
Superfund timeline
Public participation—overview
Key issues
Alternative “remedies”
Public participation in ROD
Actor Network Theory
Participation—culture & values