Coal conflict and tidal tensions: local preferences for energy infrastructure development in Puget Sound
Presentation Abstract
Global tensions over climate change are playing out at a local scale in the Salish Sea. While community groups capture newspaper headlines in their fight against fossil fuel infrastructure expansion, less public attention is currently paid to efforts to reduce reliance on carbon-emitting sources of electricity. Focusing on place attachment, place-identity and aesthetic values, I assess a wide range of stakeholder's opinions on the 1) Gateway Pacific Terminal Cherry Point proposal to expand rail road shipping and export of coal and 2) testing of tidal stream turbines, a potential source of renewable energy, in Puget Sound. To what extent do people whose livelihoods are linked to marine and coastal ecosystems perceive the proposed railroad expansion and tidal stream turbines as disrupting their enjoyment of cultural ecosystem services, such as recreational fishing and sense of place? How do different stakeholders consider the economic benefits and environmental risks associated with these projects? What are these stakeholder's major concerns about these developments? I explore the extent to which people’s beliefs about energy security, a Puget Sound identity and concern for the local environment explain opinions about these two energy infrastructure options. Results are intended to inform environmental risk assessments and participatory processes associated with siting marine renewable energy.
Session Title
Session S-09H: Trading Cultural Ecosystem Services from Data Collection to Decision Making
Conference Track
Social Science Plus
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2014 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
1-5-2014 5:00 PM
End Date
1-5-2014 6:30 PM
Location
Room 6C
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Marine ecosystem health--Risk assessment--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Coastal ecosystem health--Risk assessment--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Coal shipping terminals--Risk assessment--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Tidal power--Risk assessment--Washington (State)--Puget Sound
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Puget Sound (Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Coal conflict and tidal tensions: local preferences for energy infrastructure development in Puget Sound
Room 6C
Global tensions over climate change are playing out at a local scale in the Salish Sea. While community groups capture newspaper headlines in their fight against fossil fuel infrastructure expansion, less public attention is currently paid to efforts to reduce reliance on carbon-emitting sources of electricity. Focusing on place attachment, place-identity and aesthetic values, I assess a wide range of stakeholder's opinions on the 1) Gateway Pacific Terminal Cherry Point proposal to expand rail road shipping and export of coal and 2) testing of tidal stream turbines, a potential source of renewable energy, in Puget Sound. To what extent do people whose livelihoods are linked to marine and coastal ecosystems perceive the proposed railroad expansion and tidal stream turbines as disrupting their enjoyment of cultural ecosystem services, such as recreational fishing and sense of place? How do different stakeholders consider the economic benefits and environmental risks associated with these projects? What are these stakeholder's major concerns about these developments? I explore the extent to which people’s beliefs about energy security, a Puget Sound identity and concern for the local environment explain opinions about these two energy infrastructure options. Results are intended to inform environmental risk assessments and participatory processes associated with siting marine renewable energy.
