INVESTIGATING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION MAKING PROCESS: A CASE STUDY OF NORTHEAST CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS

The objective of this study was to explore which community characteristics of northeast Carbondale residents' predicts the greatest resistance to the proposed solar panel installation project on the former Koppers wood- treating-site, an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated brownfield site. Additionally, the data was used to examine if impediments to civic engagement, under Carbondale's current public participation strategy exist. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, a 21- question survey was developed and distributed, via door-to-door visits, to investigate residents' characteristics, civic involvement, and perceptions of their local government. A binary logistic regression (BLR) and Chi-Square test, via IBM SPSS 24TM statistics software, analyzed probable associations of multiple independent variables on resident’s attitudes towards the proposed solar panel array project. Written responses were analyzed using NVivo 11TM qualitative software to support quantitative findings. The findings suggest that there is a significant relationship between residents’ opposition to the proposed solar panel project and their proximity to the former Koppers wood-treating site. However, a further investigation into residents’ length of residency (L.o.R.) in northeast Carbondale, civic involvement, trust in the local government, and their knowledge of the former Koppers wood-treating site (K.o.K.), correcting for numerous constraints, is highly suggested.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Campus Only Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Environmental Resources & Policy

Year dc:date.available

2017

Author dc:creator

• Davis, Deidra Denice

Contributors dc:contributor

• Duram, Leslie

• brownfields
• public participation

Repository record dc:identifier

https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/dissertations/1350

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:opensiuc.lib.siu.edu:dissertations-2354