Participation and Power

W. Michele Simmons

Description

Participation and Power examines the ways in which citizens are allowed to participate in environmental policy decision making. Despite requirements that mandate public participation, institutional practices and current models of public participation often exclude citizens from anything other than a superficial role. W. Michele Simmons offers a firsthand look at risk communication and public participation practices through a case study involving the disposal of VX nerve agent. Arguing that a rhetoric for civic discourse in policy debates is needed, she constructs a theory of democratic and ethical public involvement that grants citizens more power in the decision-making process.

Figures and Tables
Acknowledgments

1. Citizens, Institutions, and the Construction of Environmental Policy

2. Citizens Involved: Mapping Public Participation and Power in Risk Communication Practices

3. A Case of Institutional Power: Public Participation Decisions about VX Nerve Agent Disposal at the Newport Chemical Depot

4. Toward a Participatory Approach to Decision Making: Creating a Space for Public Discourse in Technical Issues

5. Participation and Power: Transforming the Possibilities of Public Participation in Environmental Policy Decisions

6. Toward a Just and Participatory Environment: Civic Research in/from the Academy

Epilogue: Heightened National Security and Public Participation

Appendix A:  Public Notice Sample
Appendix B:  Sample of Comments Section from Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Appendix C:  Sample of Comments Section from Final Environmental Impact Statement
Appendix D:  Sample of Comments Section from IDEM Notice of Decision
Appendix E:  House Enrolled Act No. 1143
Appendix F:  Questions and Answers about the Newport Chemical Depot

Notes
Bibliography
Index

Sujets

• Communication studies

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791480625
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

PA

RTICIPATION and POWER

Civic Discourse in Environmental Policy Decisions

W. Michele Simmons

PARTICIPATION AND POWER

SUNY SERIES , S TUDIESIN  S CIENTIFICAND  T ECHNICAL  C OMMUNICATION

James P. Zappen, edîtor

PARTICIPATION AND POWER

Cîvîc Dîscourse în Envîronmental Polîcy Decîsîons

W. MICHELE SIMMONS

State University of New York Press

Pubîshed by S U N Y P , TATE NIVERSITY OF EW ORK RESS Abany

© 2007 State Unîversîty of New York

A rîghts reserved

Prînted în the Unîted States of Amerîca

No part of thîs book may be used or reproduced în any manner whatsoever wîthout wrîtten permîssîon. No part of thîs book may be stored în a retrîeva system or transmîtted în any form or by any means încudîng eectronîc, eectrostatîc, magnetîc tape, mechanîca, photocopyîng, recordîng, or otherwîse wîthout the prîor permîssîon în wrîtîng of the pubîsher.

For înformatîon, address State Unîversîty of New York Press 194 Washîngton Avenue, Suîte 305, Abany, NY 12210-2384

Productîon by Laurîe D. Sear Marketîng by Anne M. Vaentîne

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Sîmmons, W. Mîchee, 1969– Partîcîpatîon and power : cîvîc dîscourse în envîronmenta poîcy decîsîons / W. Mîchee Sîmmons.  p. cm. — (SUNY serîes, Studîes în scîentîfîc and technîca communîcatîon) Incudes bîbîographîca references and îndex. ISBN-13: 978-0-7914-6995-8 (ak. paper) 1. Envîronmenta poîcy—Decîsîon makîng. 2. Envîronmenta poîcy—Cîtîzen partîcîpatîon. 3. Communîcatîon în scîence. I. Tîte. II. Serîes.

GE170.S56 2007 363.7'0525—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2006007840

Lîst of Iustratîons

Acknowedgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Epîogue:

CONTENTS

Cîtîzens, Instîtutîons, and the Constructîon of Envîronmenta Poîcy

Cîtîzens Invoved: Mappîng Pubîc Partîcîpatîon and Power în Rîsk Communîcatîon Practîces

A Case of Instîtutîona Power: Pubîc Partîcîpatîon în Decîsîons about VX Nerve Agent Dîsposa at the Newport Chemîca Depot

Toward a Partîcîpatory Approach to Decîsîon Makîng: Creatîng a Space for Pubîc Dîscourse în Technîca Issues

Partîcîpatîon and Power: Transformîng the Possîbîîtîes of Pubîc Partîcîpatîon în Envîronmenta Poîcy Decîsîons

Toward a Just and Partîcîpatory Envîronment: Cîvîc Research în/from the Academy

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1

25

4

8

3

5

121

141

Heîghtened Natîona Securîty and Pubîc Partîcîpatîon 153

Appendîx A: Pubîc Notîce Sampe Appendîx B: Sampe of Comments Sectîon from Draft Envîronmenta Impact Statement Appendîx C: Sampe of Comments Sectîon from Fîna Envîronmenta Impact Statement

165

167

171

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CONTENTS

Appendîx D: Sampe of Comments Sectîon from IDEM Notîce of Decîsîon Appendîx E: House Enroed Act No. 1143 Appendîx F: Questîons and Answers about the Newport Chemîca Depot

Notes

Bîbîography

Index

175 179

181

183

189

199

Fîgure 1.1:

Fîgure 2.1:

Fîgure 2.2:

Fîgure 3.1:

Fîgure 4.1:

Fîgure 4.2:

Fîgure 4.3:

Fîgure 4.4:

Fîgure 4.5:

Fîgure 4.6:

Fîgure 4.7:

Fîgure 5.1:

Fîgure 5.2:

Fîgure 6.1:

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ILLUSTRATIONS

FIGURES

Instîtutîona Assumptîons That Perpetuate Rîsk Communîcatîon Practîces

Cîtîzen Partîcîpatîon în Cases of Envîronmenta Pubîc Poîcy

Instîtutîona Deinîtîons of Pubîc Partîcîpatîon în Rîsk Communîcatîon and Cases of Envîronmenta Pubîc Poîcy

Web of Instîtutîons Invoved în Chemîca Weapons Dîsposa at the Newport Chemîca Depot

Technocratîc Mode

Strategîc Actîon Mode

Strategîc Actîon/Reactîonary Mode

Partîa Partîcîpatîon/Pseudopartîcîpatîon Mode

Facîîtated Mode

Pubîc Partîcîpatîon în the Chemîca Weapons Dîsposa Decîsîon at the Newport Chemîca Depot

Partîcîpatory Approach

Tradîtîona Notîon of Cîvîc Dîscourse

Expanded Notîon of Cîvîc Dîscourse

Storm Water Poutîon Preventîon Home Page

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21

3

9

42

5

2

88

90

94

97

104

106

118

138

139

146

vîîî

Fîgure 6.2:

Tabe 5.1:

ILLUSTRATIONS

Storm Water Poutîon Preventîon Communîty Invovement Opportunîtîes

TABLES

Heurîstîc for Evauatîng Pubîc Partîcîpatîon în Envîronmenta Poîcy

147

129

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thîs book has evoved from a research project because of the generous con- trîbutîons of many. I thank my professors at Purdue who heped me focus my research înterests. Johndan Johnson-Eîoa and Irwîn Weîser asked questîons that broadened my thînkîng and offered sage advîce that kept me on track. I am especîay gratefu to Pat Suîvan and Jîm Porter for teachîng me to thînk about whom research serves and the socîa change ît shoud seek. I have earned much from them, and I contînue to earn. My coeagues from graduate schoo, Jeff Grabî, Stuart Bythe, Lîbby Mîes, and Meredîth Weîsberg Zoetewey, have provîded învauabe feedback on thîs project through theîr conversatîons, coaboratîons, and readîngs of earîer drafts. I am grate- fu for theîr contînued frîendshîp. Thanks aso to the spokespeope of the cîtîzen groups and the depot whose generosîty wîth theîr tîme and înforma- tîon was îmmeasurabe. I thank my coeagues at Mîamî Unîversîty who have been supportîve of my work, especîay Jennîe Dautermann, Jean Lutz, Laura Mande, Kate Ronad, Pau Anderson, and Morrîs Young, who provîded feedback on dîfferent com- ponents of the project. My students în the sprîng 2004 graduate înformatîon desîgn course chaenged my thînkîng about partîcîpatory desîgn în the cass- room în productîve ways. I aso thank Mîamî Unîversîty for an assîgned re- search appoîntment that enabed me to compete portîons of the book. Fînay, I thank my parents for theîr support, and most of a I thank Josh, who encourages and înspîres me every day. Seected passages of thîs book have appeared prevîousy în dîfferent forms. Permîssîons have been granted for the use of the foowîng materîas. Chapters 1 and 2 încude revîsed seectîons from “Toward a Crîtîca Rhetorîc of Rîsk Communîcatîon: Producîng Cîtîzens and the Roe of Technîca Communîcators,” Jeffery T. Grabî and W. Mîchee Sîmmons (1998).Tech- nîcal Communîcatîon Quarterly, 7(4), 415–441 wîth permîssîon from the Assocîatîon of Teachers of Technîca Wrîtîng. Fîgures 6.1 and 6.2 are reprînted from the Cermont County StormWater Poutîon Preventîon Websîte wîth permîssîon.

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