Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation
8-2024
Document Type
Doctoral Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph. D.
Department
Sociology
Degree Program
Sociology (Applied), PhD
Committee Chair
Heberle, Lauren
Committee Member
Carini, Bob
Committee Member
Merry, Melissa
Committee Member
Roelfs, David
Committee Member
Storey, Angela
Author's Keywords
Environmental protection agency; environmental justice; environmental cleanups
Abstract
Superfund sites represent some of the most contaminated and environmentally sensitive areas in the United States. How these sites are portrayed can significantly influence public perception of environmental risks, the effectiveness of remediation efforts, and the overall state of environmental health. Regulatory agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are entrusted with safeguarding public health and the environment. How they communicate about their actions, successes, and challenges directly impacts public trust and perceptions of their accountability. This dissertation examines the manifest and latent metrics used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine success in Superfund remediation by focusing on how the EPA presents itself to the public through the publication of Superfund Success Stories. The dissertation begins by exploring the concepts of environmental justice, the role of the EPA, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), better known as Superfund. This is followed by delving into the theoretical foundations of colonialism, path dependency, and institutional betrayal, examining their impact on the EPA’s policy development and implementation. The research methodology incorporates quantitative and qualitative content analysis to examine the manifest and latent content found in the Success Stories. The Success Stories demonstrate how the EPA uses a cost-versus-benefits approach toward Superfund remediation and reuse. This is seen in how the Success Stories' focus on job creation, sales revenues, tax increases, and property appreciation. This shows the impact of using established decision-making processes to address an issue as complex as Superfund sites. While the goal is to clean up and reuse sites in positive ways, these priorities may overemphasize cost-effectiveness and speed while overlooking the broader social consequences.
Recommended Citation
Metcalf-Wade, Haley, "From surface to subtext: portrayals of success in superfund remediation." (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4400.
Retrieved from https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/4400