Abstract
This paper uses the case of high-level radioactive waste management to examine the political implications of discrepancies between perceived and actual risk. A content analysis of public testimony at Department of Energy sponsored hearings provides several important findings. The public was relatively well informed about technical aspects of waste disposal; it had little confidence in the competence of the Department of Energy, and it exhibited a wide range of concerns for the impact of high-level waste disposal on environmental quality, the economy, public health, tourism, and the quality of life. Substantial percentages of those testifying commented on the involuntary nature of the risks posed, potentially catastrophic effects of waste disposal, and technical uncertainties associated with the site evaluation process. Taken together, these statements suggest that public perception of risk is not as unsophisticated as often assumed. The attentive public represented in these hearings demonstrates a considerable capacity for participation in risk policy making. Based on these findings, we need to think more creatively about mechanisms for citizen participation in risk policy decisions that contribute to policy legitimation as well as to enhancement of the quality of decision making.
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Kraft, M.E. (1991). Risk Perception and the Politics of Citizen Participation: The Case of Radioactive Waste Management. In: Garrick, B.J., Gekler, W.C. (eds) The Analysis, Communication, and Perception of Risk. Advances in Risk Analysis, vol 9. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2370-7_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2370-7_11
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