Ocean Place, Ocean Space:
the human science side of
the ocean off the coast of
Oregon
Flaxen Conway
Marine Resource Management
Oregon Sea Grant / School of Public Policy
College of Oceanic & Atmospheric
Sciences at Oregon State University
http://www.coas.oregonstate.edu
What types or kinds of
science do you think I
am referring to when I
use the words
“human science”?
This course = “Exploring the Deep”
– Biological science aspects of the ocean
– Physical science aspects of the ocean
You folks are not ocean scientists.
Neither am I.
I am a social scientist and I am interested in the
“human science” side of the ocean off of the
coast of Oregon.
Working out the technical kinks is critical.
Having the best available data and management
practices about the environmental dimension is
vital.
However, permitting processes rarely fail on
technical or scientific grounds. Rather, because of
a failure to pay attention to the human
dimension.
Decision makers need an understanding of how
people experience and relate to the ocean.
The emerging wave energy industry has the
opportunity to be developed in a socially
responsible manner.
 What does “developed in a socially responsible”
manner mean?
 What are the steps it should take to assure this?
 Who needs to be involved to assure this?
Our research program studied…
• Public’s knowledge and values and their
opinions re: wave energy.
• Link between knowledge/understanding and
acceptance or lack of support re: wave energy.
• Wave energy information sources.
• Wave energy and community well being.
Six research projects in four thematic areas:
1. Socioeconomic and Sociopolitical Influences on
Permitting and Planning
2. Comparison of Wave Energy to other forms of
Electricity Generation
3. BMP for Permitting and Management
4. Perceptions of and Effects on Communities of
Place and Interest
Why is studying the human dimension
important?
• Inform research, decision makers, developers,
stakeholders, and the public
• Design research and policy processes to meet
citizen / community concerns and maximize policy
input
• Create effective public education and engagement
efforts.
Lessons Learned re:
 Governance
 Socioeconomic and Sociopolitical
Influences
 Sustainability and Acceptability
 Outreach and Engagement: putting
perceptions and perspectives to work
Governance
• Sound planning is critical.
• Testing projects was the greatest area of support
and agreement among stakeholders and policy
actors.
• Demonstrations projects
provide an opportunity to
obtain scientific information upon which more
fully informed decisions can be made.
• Greater capital flow – private and government
– is the thing that can aid deployment.
• Investments should advance the greater body
of science about wave energy.
• Environmental data should remain public.
Socioeconomic and Sociopolitical Influences
Public Perceptions
• Regional differences in attitudes and familiarity
with wave energy exists; coastal residents hold
more defined and intense opinions.
• Positive attitudes, yet not enough info to form
an opinion.
• Those “very familiar” get info from universities,
ODE, utilities, local leaders, and the internet.
Socioeconomic and Sociopolitical Influences
Communities of Interest
• Ally networks exist within government; and b/t
conservation and scientists, and local government and
ocean users.
• Opponent networks exist b/t ocean users and the
energy industry, technical experts, federal and state
government.
• Interest groups are in different stages of understanding
and action.
• Primary source of information were
the energy industry, utilities, and
scientists/engineers.
• Most trusted source of information
were scientists/engineers, energy
industry, and local government.
• Least trusted source of information
were energy industry,
scientists/engineers, and the media.
Socioeconomic and Sociopolitical Influences
Communities of Place
• Perceptions not based on demographic group or place.
• Threats/opportunities were shaped as much by
imaginations as by empirical evidence.
• Misconceptions fueled by mutual distrust.
• Community well-being is important and it remains to
be seen how it will be impacted.
Sustainability and Acceptability
SUSTAINABILITY SCORES
Types of
Energy
Types of Sustainability
Environmental
Economic
Social
OVERALL
Geothermal
8
7
8
23
Solar
9
1
9
19
Hydro
5
6
6
17
Wind
7
3
5
15
Wave
6
2
7
15
LNG
3
9
2
14
Petroleum
2
8
3
13
Biomass
4
4
4
12
Nuclear
1
5
1
7
Sustainability and Acceptability
Geothermal – Considered promising; acceptability
depends on how the development managed locally.
Hydro – Surface water needs, aging infrastructures
and public’s knowledge determine the
acceptability.
Biomass – Can enhance economy; environmental
pros and cons need to be considered; social
acceptance is not certain.
Wind – Transmission capacity b/t east and west and
costs affect the acceptability.
Solar – Abundance of resources/systems; economic
questions.
Wave – Tremendous resources; large transmission
capacity; more environmental research needed
locally; more economic incentives needed;
advance public knowledge.
LNG – Receives environmental opposition; not as
economically feasible as regular NG; concerns
about environmental impacts.
Overall lesson learned
from this human science
research program are…
…and how do you put
them to work?
Coastal communities of place and of
interest are:
• Interested
• willing to accept some
change, but
• they feel the Oregon
coast is worth slowing
the wave energy
process down so that
they can work with
others to reach a
desired, mutuallybeneficial future.
So if you want to reach and
engage community members…
• Public meetings are important BUT few utilized them
to gain new info or learn about wave energy.
• Focus outreach efforts on local newspapers/media.
• Avoid pre-determined locations and commercial scale
projects.
• Use local and state government as political mediators.
• Foster cooperation.
• Design the outreach and
engagement process.
• Engage early and often.
• Expect challenges and successes. Use both to create
progress in
– Systems for working together
– Listen, listen, listen…then speak
– Create a myriad of possible solutions for
lasting agreements
Questions?
Flaxen Conway
fconway@coas.oregonstate.edu
http://nnmrec.oregonstate.edu/
http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/jspui
/handle/1957/13499
541-737-1339