Communicating science and involving the public in environmental assessments
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States). Office of Health and Environment
Efforts to communicate the results of environmental studies, educate the public, and involve local citizens in environmental decisions have increased nationwide. Today`s multi-disciplinary environmental issues pose communications problems in both public and scientific forums. Outreach efforts on the U.S. Department of Energy`s Hanford Nuclear Site have drawn on a broad spectrum of communications media including technical articles (open literature and symposium publications, annual and topical reports); information brochures and fact sheets; video productions; interactive exhibits; presentations at scientific, technical, civic and other public meetings; and, more recently, proactive interactions with the news media and local, state, and federal agencies. In addition, representatives of local communities now operate offsite sampling stations in Hanford`s environmental monitoring network and Native Americans are involved in studying fisheries and other issues. All major environmental programs, such as the current multi-year effort to reconstruct past radiological doses to offsite human populations, are conducted with open public participation. This presentation describes Hanford`s public outreach efforts, the successes and failures, and the lessons learned.
- OSTI ID:
- 31780
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9410273--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Public involvement in environmental activities: Initiatives and lessons learned
Public/stakeholder involvement at two Department of Energy sites: Case studies