Environmental remediation: Addressing public concerns through effective community relations

Conference · Thu Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1998

OSTI ID:679341

Davis, S; Heywood, J; Wood, M B; Arellano, M ^[1]; Pfister, S ^[2]

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1. Arizona Public Service Co., Phoenix, AZ (United States)
2. Robb, DeMenna and Pfister, Phoenix, AZ (United States)

The public`s perception of risk drives their response to any potential environmental remediation project. Even if the actual environmental and health risks may be relatively low, public perception of high risk may doom the project to an uphill struggle characterized by heated public meetings, negative media coverage, reluctant regulators, project delays and increased costs. The ultimate Catch 22 in such a case is that the contamination remains in-place until the public drama is concluded. This paper explores the development and implementation of a Community Relations Plan for the clean up of a Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) site owned and operated by corporate predecessors of Arizona Public Service Company (APS) near the turn of the century. The unique challenges associated with this project were that the former MGP was located in downtown Phoenix at the site of a future federal courthouse. Although the MGP site had been under investigation for some time, the clean-up schedule was driven by a tight courthouse construction schedule. Compounding these challenges were the logistics associated with conducting a large-scale cleanup in a congested, highly visible downtown location. An effective Community Relations Plan can mean the difference between the success and failure of an environmental remediation project. Elements of an effective plan are: identifying key stakeholders and involving them in the project from the beginning; providing timely information and being open and honest about the potential environmental and health risks; involving your company`s community relations and media staff; and educating affected company employees. The Community Relations Plan developed for this project was designed to alleviate public concern about potential risks (perceived or real) associated with the project by keeping key stakeholders informed of all activities well in advance.

• OSTI ID: 679341
• Report Number(s): CONF-980632--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
COAL GASIFICATION PLANTS
PUBLIC OPINION
PUBLIC RELATIONS
REMEDIAL ACTION
RISK ASSESSMENT