The Value of Interpretation for Preservation of Knowledge and Communication of Institutional Controls - 22310

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is committed to managing its responsibilities associated with the legacy of World War II and the Cold War. This legacy includes radioactive and chemical waste, environmental contamination, and hazardous material at over 100 sites across the country. The Office of Legacy Management (LM) was formally established as a new DOE element on December 15, 2003. LM is responsible for ensuring that DOE's post-closure responsibilities are met and providing DOE programs for long-term surveillance and maintenance, records management, benefits continuity, property management, land use planning, and community assistance. LM's long-term stewardship mission is stronger through partnership and engagement with stakeholders. Public memories and connections to LM sites are fresh at sites where production eras have recently concluded, or remedial actions were recently completed, but over time these personal memories fade and new generations and recent arrivals lack firsthand knowledge of these earlier eras. It has been nearly two decades since LM was established. Many community members near LM sites are recent transplants or were born after the Manhattan Project, the Cold War, the production era, and site cleanup and closure. Public interpretive services provide long-time community members and new stakeholders with an opportunity to forge a meaningful connection with LM sites, helping to ensure continuing awareness of and support for site remedies and knowledge of institutional controls. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines institutional controls (IC) as 'nonengineered instruments, such as administrative and legal controls, that help to minimize the potential for exposure to contamination and/or protect the integrity of a response action. IC typically are designed to work by limiting land and/or resource use or by providing information that helps modify or guide human behavior at a site.' (EPA Institutional Controls: A Guide to Planning, Implementing, Maintaining, and Enforcing Institutional Controls at Contaminated Sites, 2012). Interpretation is a mission-based communication process that forges emotional and intellectual connections to the meanings inherent in the resource. LM incorporates this communication strategy to maintain public connections through scalable interpretive approaches including wayside signs, staff-conducted programming, and staffed visitor facilities at a variety of long-term stewardship sites. Wayside interpretive signs serve to memorialize a geographic place, while being visually engaging for visitors. Wayside interpretive signs generally tell a story with the intent of forging connections to the landscape and place it is interpreting. Wayside sign construction and designs are highly variable and dependent upon the goals of the project incorporating both text and graphics. A cantilever style sign invites the audience to view a landscape in the context of the sign, while an upright style serves as the primary attractant for a visitor. Wayside signs are typically designed to last up to 10 years, although many remain in place much longer. Maintenance needs are dependent upon materials used, environmental conditions, and public use. Staff-hosted programming can be incredibly dynamic in execution, targeting different age groups, demographics, and abilities. Interpretive programming can be executed in person (pending COVID protocols), virtually, seasonally, annually, on or offsite, for special or unique community events, and via mobile unit, speaker series, video, etc. The visitor experience is generally more impactful through staff- conducted programming when compared to self-guided interpretive resources such as historic markers and wayside signs. Staff-conducted interpretive programming allows for greater flexibility in targeting audience and maintaining relevancy with audience interests as they change over time. A higher level of investment, both financially and in planning, is required to develop staffed interpretive facilities featuring exhibit halls and dynamic interpretive programs. An interpretive center blends physical spaces, exhibit halls, wayside signs, and dynamic interpretive programs. The development of exhibit halls requires more diligence in defining the visitor experience, extensive planning of exhibit content, and the execution of interpretive staff operations. However, interpretive centers are the most effective tools in communicating institutional controls due to the ease of access to volumes of site information through exhibits, literature, and discussion with staff members. (authors)