Community Perceptions of Remediation, Restoration, and Revitalization in the Great Lakes Areas of Concern

The importance of public input is increasingly recognized in the restoration of contaminated communities. Opening the decision-making process to the public allows for a wider representation of interests regarding changes being made to the community and is a vital component to successful restoration and revitalization. Over the last 50 years, the Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) have undergone remediation and restoration of contaminated waterbodies and their surrounding area to improve environmental, social, and economic conditions. Though public input is typically sought out in these projects, it is common for many people and groups within a community to be uninvolved. As opportunities for community revitalization increase, it is important to understand the community’s role in this process. There is little understanding of what public participation looks like amongst AOCs; while many have successfully engaged with the community, others are still struggling to garner interest or involvement from their community. Our research examines community perceptions of revitalization, as well as the motivators and barriers in place for the public to be involved in the overall remediation, restoration, and revitalization framework using qualitative document analysis, interviews, and a survey instrument. Our results shed light on the importance of representation and trust in community participation and how revitalization is perceived by members of the community, as well as if revitalization indicators align with community interest in Great Lakes AOCs.