Scaffolding civic infrastructures: Examining the role of civic technoscience in public engagements with oil and gas pipelines

Jalbert, Kirk; Wasserman, Sherri E.; Florence, Natalie

doi:10.1016/j.erss.2023.103187

Scaffolding civic infrastructures: Examining the role of civic technoscience in public engagements with oil and gas pipelines

Journal Article · Wed Jul 05 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · Energy Research and Social Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2023.103187· OSTI ID:1994962

Jalbert, Kirk ^[1]; Wasserman, Sherri E. ^[2]; Florence, Natalie ^[1]

Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ (United States)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Oil and gas pipelines bring attention to the importance of public participation in the management of large-scale infrastructure projects. Participation transforms how communities understand benefits and risks, and can result in safer and more resilient projects. However, participation can be hindered by procedural injustices in planning processes and lack of industry transparency. Based on a survey of 103 civil society groups conducted in 2021, this paper investigates how groups mobilize technical projects and expert knowledge to overcome these. We frame these mobilizations as expressions of civic technoscience, and argue their pivotal role in building capacity for effective engagements with pipelines. To this extent, we furthermore suggest that civic technoscience is fundamental to building civic infrastructures for reforming participatory governance gaps. We conclude with recommendations for how civic technoscience can better support the intentions of civic infrastructuring by coordinating activities across coalitions, as well as by shifting the scales at which groups engage with the governance of pipelines.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830

OSTI ID:: 1994962

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA-184168

Journal Information:: Energy Research and Social Science, Journal Name: Energy Research and Social Science Vol. 102; ISSN 2214-6296

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Scaffolding civic infrastructures: Examining the role of civic technoscience in public engagements with oil and gas pipelines

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