Creating a context for public confidence in environmental remediation programs

Achieving public, political and regulatory confidence in environmental remediation programs challenges every member of every remediation team. Based on review of many controversial projects, this paper proposes a process-oriented approach to gaining and maintaining public confidence. It emphasizes the need to identify and understand potential stakeholders, and to design an overall context that incorporates public and institutional involvement into the investigation and remediation program. It calls for early strategy development, open-quotes ownershipclose quotes of the public confidence strategy by all levels of staff and management, and a pro-active approach. It suggests practical actions that can be taken to implement an overall approach that is tailored for a specific program. Finally, it encourages environmental professionals to recognize the positive elements of remediation and use them effectively to enhance communication, consensus and confidence