Environmental policies, politics, and community risk perception: case study of community contamination in Casper, Wyoming.
OBJECTIVE
We identify and explain factors that affected a community's perception of risk due to extensive industrial contamination and people's distrust of government agencies regarding the environmental investigations.


METHODS
Intrinsic bounded case study methodology was used to conduct research about extensive environmental contaminations due to activities of an oil refinery in North Casper, Wyoming, and the citizens' response. Data were collected from multiple sources that included public testimonies, observations, public hearings and meetings minutes, newspaper articles, archived records obtained from federal and state environmental and health agencies, as well as industry records obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.


RESULTS
The overarching theme that emerged was lack of trust due to several critical events and factors such as no response or delay in response time to community concerns, lack of transparency, perceived cover up, vague and fragmented communication by government and state officials, perception of pro-industry stance, and perceived unfair treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
People's perception of environmental risks and their willingness to accept official explanations and outcomes of environmental investigations are strongly affected by their direct experiences with government agencies and the evidence of influence the powerful industries exert over relevant investigations. The government cannot successfully address public and community concerns about environmental health impacts of contaminations and in turn the public perception of risk unless it adopts and implements policies, procedures, and protocols that are clear, timely, transparent, and free from industry influence.
Tajik
Mansoureh
M
Department of Community Health and Sustainability, 3 Solomont Way, Lowell, MA 01854, USA. Mansoureh_Tajik@uml.edu
Gottlieb
Karen
K
Lowndes
Nita
N
Stewart
Gloria
G
D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects; D003142:Communication; D003256:Community Participation; D004777:Environment; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry / Q000458:organization & administration; D006077:Government Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000009:adverse effects; D011057:Politics; D011640:Public Policy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D035502:Trust; D014959:Wyoming
D007220:Industrial Waste; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D001194:Asbestos