Fernald - As Closure Approaches Changing Public Participation Is Not an Easy (or Popular) Task

Public participation at a closure site evolves. In large part it's driven by the players - neighbors, DOE, contractors, regulators and to some extent, the media. At Fernald, public participation became an integral part of the decision making process in the late 80's. At that time the Department of Energy was really just beginning to understand the extent of environmental contamination caused by 40 years of uranium metal production. Today, as cleanup nears an end (Figure 1), the Fernald Citizens Advisory Board and other key stakeholders stand at a crossroads. The DOE Office of Environmental Management is working with the Office of Legacy Management and its' contractors as they prepare to take over stewardship of the site. DOE is chartering Local Stakeholder Organizations, LSO's, made up of elected officials to serve as the voice of the public. The transition at Fernald will likely be more difficult than at other cleanup sites. Many area stakeholders have 20 years of time committed to this project. For most, Fernald was an emotional subject that effected their community and families. Change is not easy. (authors)