4. How Clean Is Clean? Stakeholders and Consensus-Building at the Fernald Uranium Plant

This is an account of the Fernald Uranium plant, the pollution from the plant, and its impact on the community. The Fernald Feed Materials Plant provided uranium metal to the United States nuclear weapons program from 1951 to 1989. In 1984, public awareness and concern over environmental releases began to grow, culminating in a lawsuit against the operators of the plant. Public reaction to the site was so negative that it became difficult, if not impossible, to operate or remediate the site. Systematic application of a program of public participation restored institutional credibility. Stakeholder input dramatically improved the quality of decision making, resulting in reduced costs and an accelerated environmental restoration.