The sedimented social histories of environmental cleanups: An ethnography of social and institutional dynamics

The scrutiny of environmental cleanups within the United States has been a growing area interest for social scientists. Scholars have used case studies and modeling to analyze struggles justice economics stigma associated with Superfund sites. This research primarily analyzed community perspectives on remediation removal, such as local strategies participating in cleanup decisions. There less work analyzing organizational institutional dynamics at play during cleanups. Our study addresses this gap by insights gained through interviewing U.S. Environmental Protection Agency staff who do brownfields, Superfund, emergency response. ethnographic excavates sedimented layers histories contaminated sites: regional contexts, power authority, stakeholder relationships networks. It interrogates how these affect decisions, including temporal spatial boundaries sites themselves. We find that making is important outcomes scientific technical aspects are. finding highlights importance tools resources excavate remediation, decontamination work.