Intergenerational equity and environmental restoration cleanup levels.

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2001 · Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res.

OSTI ID:949496

Hocking, E K

The United States Department of Energy environmental restoration program faces difficult decisions about the levels of cleanup to be achieved at its many contaminated sites and has acknowledged the need for considering intergenerational equity in its decision making. Intergenerational equity refers to the fairness of access to resources across generations. Environmental restoration cleanup levels can have unintended and unfair consequences for future generations access to resources. The potentially higher costs associated with using low, non-risk-based cleanup levels for remediation may divert funding from other activities that could have a greater beneficial impact on future generations. Low, non-risk-based cleanup levels could also result in more damage to the nation's resources than would occur if a higher cleanup level were used. The loss or impairment of these resources could have an inequitable effect on future generations. However, intergenerational inequity could arise if sites are not completely restored and if access to and use of natural and cultural resources are unfairly limited as a result of residual contamination. In addition to concerns about creating possible intergenerational inequities related to selected cleanup levels, the tremendous uncertainties associated with sites and their restoration can lead site planners to rely on stewardship by default. An ill-conceived stewardship program can contribute to intergenerational inequity by limiting access to resources while passing on risks to future generations and not preparing them for those risks. This paper presents a basic model and process for designing stewardship programs that can achieve equity among generations.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 949496
• Report Number(s): ANL/EA/JA-41497
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Journal Issue: 2001 Vol. 1; ISSN ESPLEC; ISSN 0944-1344
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: ENGLISH

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CONTAMINATION
CULTURAL RESOURCES
DECISION MAKING