PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF A RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED SITE - CONCERNS, REMEDIATION PREFERENCES, AND DESIRED INVOLVEMENT

A public attitudes survey was conducted in neighborhoods adjacent to a radioactively contaminated site whose remediation is now under the au spices of the U.S. Department of Energy's Formerly Utilized Sites Reme dial Action Program (FUSRAP). The survey's purpose was to ascertain le vels of actual and desired public involvement in the remediation proce ss; to identify health, environmental, economic, and future land-use c oncerns associated with the site; and to solicit remediation strategy preferences. Surface water and groundwater contamination, desire for p ublic involvement, and potential health risks were found to be the mos t highly ranked site concerns. Preferred remediation strategies includ ed treatment of contaminated soil and excavation with off-site disposa l. Among on-site remediation strategies, only institutional controls t hat leave the site undisturbed and do not require additional excavatio n of materials were viewed favorably Cost of remediation appeared to i nfluence remediation strategy preference; however, no strategy was vie wed as a panacea. Respondents were also concerned with protecting futu re generations, better assessment of risks to health and the environme nt, and avoiding generation of additional contaminated materials.