


ABSTRACT
Recommendations For a Smooth Ecological and Social Transition into the Future for
Agro-pastoralists of the Baringo Lowlands, Northern Kenya
Kerry M. Cesareo, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
The Housatonic River flowing through western Massachusetts is contaminated with high levels of
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which originated from Pittsfield’s General Electric facility during the
years 1929 to 1977. In 1997, public outcry over the extent of contamination and the potential threat to
public health and the environment escalated pressure on government authorities for cleanup of the river
and surrounding areas. General Electric, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Pittsfield city
officials negotiated for two years the details of a settlement to begin remediation and restoration on the
upper reach of the river. The goal is to restore the river ecosystem to a “fishable, swimmable” state. The
resultant plan calls for excavation and landfilling of portions of contaminated sediment and soil while
capping the remainder in situ. The plan also outlines a generous brownfields redevelopment plan for the
General Electric site. The mayor, the media, and others hail the settlement as a great success, however, local
environmentalists believe the settlement fails to provide the most comprehensive cleanup within practical
limits and does not take necessary precautions against recontamination. Poor implementation of public
participation, through a powerless Citizen’s Coordinating Council (CCC), prevented the broader public
from effectively participating in the debate. Consequently, the economic concerns of more wealthy and
powerful participants won out. This paper describes and analyzes the decision process used in negotiating
the settlement, to explain why the settlement falls short of previously stated goals for environmental
cleanup and protection. The paper offers an alternative for actively involving the public and subsequently
improving the decision process for cleaning up the lower reaches of the river. Revising EPA’s model of
public participation to allow for a CCC representative at the negotiating table would ensure multiple
advocacy and thereby promote a more contextual selection process. Although the economic redevelopment issues relevant to Pittsfield will not play a role in Lower River negotiations, pursuing the same model
of public participation will likely produce similar unsatisfactory results since the settlement for the Upper
River has set a precedent of minimum cleanup. By revising EPA’s model of public participation and
promoting interdisciplinary problem solving, a more comprehensive restoration of the Lower River can
be achieved.
KERRY M. CESAREO is currently pursuing a Master of Forest Science degree at the Yale School of Forestry &
Environmental Studies. She is supported in part by a Doris Duke Conservation Fellowship. In 1997, she received a
Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Past experience includes
work in ecology research and environmental consulting, as well as work on various environmental and social justice
issues through the Carolina Community Foundation, U.S. PIRG, and AmeriCorps*VISTA.
Kerry M. Cesareo, 3005 Alicia Dr., Wall, New Jersey 07719. Phone: (732) 681-5941; Email: kerry.cesareo@yale.edu
  