Supporting Superfund community based decision making: Large group decision making models

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:205289

Carpenter, C A

Community involvement is a cornerstone of the Superfund Program. Forums supporting community based decision-making have been established across the country. The challenge facing the Superfund program is how to effectively support the decision-making processes necessary to accelerate site cleanup and reuse of Superfund sites. This paper examines models of large group decision making; self-organizing processes; principles from the latest management theories; and experiences in the international development community. The convergence of these experiences offer new paradigms to frame the community based decision-making process being implemented across the country. This paper illustrates the value of stakeholder participation in understanding and resolving issues within a whole system framework. Since the 1900s, management theory has moved from ``experts solving problems`` to ``everybody improving whole systems``. When everybody understands the whole, fragmentation is reduced, stakeholders share a common understanding, and decision are made within a common context. Two models of large group decision making will be detailed: ``The Future Search Model`` and the ``Appreciation, Influence and Control Model (AIC) Self Organizing Model``. This paper applies these techniques to existing community involvement activity.

• OSTI ID: 205289
• Report Number(s): CONF-951139--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
COMMUNITIES
COMPLIANCE
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
REMEDIAL ACTION
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
US SUPERFUND
WASTE MANAGEMENT