ABSTRACT
In order to better understand how participation shapes community structures and community-level decision-making, this chapter examines how community members, industrial entities and environmental regulators participate in decision-making processes about the Teledyne Wah Chang Albany Superfund Site and the Dawn Mining Company’s Midnite Mine Superfund Site and mill site. In spite of the fact that public participation in decision-making about Teledyne Wah Chang Albany is low, key informants suggested some things that encourage it. One action proposed to encourage participation in community-level decision-making was utilizing a third party to diffuse fear among participants. Local residents also reported that public participation ‘brought the community together about specific issues’ and provided an opportunity to learn more about the problem. After nearly two decades of mitigation activities, one key informant stated that it was ‘too soon to determine’ how public participation could be improved.
